Flock

Flock, now operating as Flock Benefits Administration by Paychex, was established in 2015 by co-founders Raj Singh and Chirag Bhatt. The San Francisco-based company developed an all-in-one software platform focused on simplifying human resources (HR), benefits administration, and compliance for small to mid-sized businesses. The platform was designed to automate and digitize essential administrative tasks, creating a paperless system for processes ranging from employee onboarding and off-boarding to benefits enrollment and people management.

The business operated on a dual revenue model. It offered its core software for free and generated income by providing qualified leads to insurance brokers and agents. Additionally, it provided a modular software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution, allowing clients to purchase specific modules like 'Onboarding', 'HR', 'Benefits Administration', or 'Time Off' based on a per-employee, per-month pricing structure. Flock's platform aimed to serve as a centralized and trusted data warehouse for all employee information, integrating with payroll providers and insurance carriers to eliminate redundant data entry and streamline workflows for HR administrators and insurance brokers.

The company's journey includes a significant Series A funding round of $3.5 million in September 2017, which was led by The Hartford. This investment supported Flock's market expansion and further development of its HR and benefits administration technology. A pivotal moment in the company's history occurred on October 6, 2021, when it was acquired by Paychex, a prominent provider of integrated human capital management solutions. Following the acquisition, Flock was rebranded to 'Flock Benefits Administration, by Paychex', and its entire team joined the acquiring company, ensuring continuity for its customers. The integration with Paychex's suite of services, particularly Paychex Flex, was intended to create a more powerful and comprehensive solution for employers managing HR and benefits.

Keywords: benefits administration, HRIS, human resources software, compliance management, employee onboarding, SaaS, benefits enrollment, HR automation, Paychex, small business HR, mid-sized business HR, employee management, payroll integration, insurance broker leads, HR tech, Raj Singh, Chirag Bhatt, acquired, HR compliance, workforce management