Rick Hammell, SPHR, Founder & CEO of Helios, launched the company after identifying a critical gap in how businesses manage global expansion. With a background in founding a successful Employer of Record (EOR) services company—a model where a third-party legally employs workers on behalf of a business to simplify global hiring—Hammell recognized that many organizations needed support beyond what traditional EOR solutions offer. Specifically, he saw that companies often struggled with the transition from early-stage international hiring to fully scaling and operationalizing global teams.
Helios was created to meet this need through a technology-first platform that simplifies how businesses manage, engage, and pay their international workforce. The platform offers tools for automated onboarding, localized compliance, contractor and employee management, global payroll, and AI-powered insights—all within a unified system. By reducing the complexity of global operations, Helios empowers companies to scale internationally with confidence and compete effectively in today’s borderless economy.
What motivated you to launch Helios, and how did your past experience in HR and global workforce management influence the direction of the company?
The launch of Helios was driven by a desire to streamline global workforce management, drawing from my extensive experience in HR. I saw firsthand the complexities companies face when managing international teams, and Helios.io was created to simplify these processes with innovative technology.
Helios was built with global expansion in mind. What challenges did you set out to solve for companies operating across borders?
Helios addresses cross-border challenges by providing a unified platform that manages diverse compliance requirements and cultural differences. It aims to simplify international payroll and HR tasks, reducing administrative burdens and ensuring consistency. From the beginning, we saw that companies going through global expansion were hindered by fragmented systems and inconsistent compliance standards. Helios was designed to eliminate these barriers by offering a centralized solution that adapts to local regulations, enabling businesses to scale confidently and focus on growth.
AI is often seen as disruptive, but you've positioned it as supportive. How do you see AI fitting into the modern HR tech stack?
AI in HR is a supportive tool that enhances efficiency and decision-making. In the modern HR tech stack, AI facilitates data-driven insights, automates routine tasks, and empowers HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives. We view AI as an enabler that supplements human capabilities rather than replacing them. By automating repetitive processes, AI allows businesses and HR teams to dedicate more time to strategic planning and employee engagement, fostering a more dynamic and responsive workplace.
Can you share how your AI assistant, Albert-IQ, helps HR teams make more informed decisions?
Albert-IQ assists HR teams by analyzing vast amounts of data to provide actionable insights. It helps in predicting trends, optimizing workforce planning and ensuring compliance, enabling more informed and strategic decision-making.
In a world where AI can now handle tasks like onboarding and payroll in seconds, what do you think will become more important for HR teams to focus on?
As AI takes over repetitive tasks like onboarding and payroll, HR teams will need to focus more on strategic initiatives, employee engagement, and fostering a positive workplace culture that drives innovation. The human element remains crucial in areas like leadership development and cultural alignment. HR professionals and business leaders will play a pivotal role in guiding organizational change and ensuring that technological advancements translate into meaningful employee experiences.
In your view, what roles in HR or compliance are ripe for AI augmentation vs. those that will always need a human touch?
Roles involving data analysis and compliance tracking are ripe for AI augmentation. However, areas like employee relations and culture-building will always require the empathy and intuition of a human touch. AI is incredibly helpful when it comes to sorting through data and spotting patterns, especially in compliance or reporting. However, when it comes to understanding what motivates people, building trust or guiding someone through a tough moment, there is no substitute for human connection. Those are the moments that define culture, and they require empathy, not algorithms.
Helios gathers a tremendous amount of data. How do you help companies translate that into meaningful insights?
Helios helps companies by using AI to analyze their data, providing clear, actionable insights that drive strategic decisions. This enables businesses to make informed choices that enhance efficiency and growth.
How does Helios differentiate its AI capabilities from other platforms in the global payroll and HCM space?
Helios differentiates itself by providing highly customizable solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing systems, offering real-time insights and predictive analytics tailored to specific business needs.
What’s your vision for how AI will continue evolving within the Helios platform in the next 3–5 years?
Over the next 2–3 years, we envision AI within Helios evolving to offer even more personalized and predictive capabilities, further enhancing strategic decision-making and enabling proactive HR management. Our goal is to develop AI functionalities that anticipate organizational needs, such as forecasting talent gaps and suggesting tailored development programs. By integrating predictive analytics, Helios aims to empower businesses to make informed decisions that align with their long-term objectives.
Thank you for the great interview, readers who wish to learn more should visit Helios.
The post Rick Hammell, Founder and CEO of Helios – Interview Series appeared first on Unite.AI.
