Helios founder and CEO SPHR Rick Hammell launched the company after identifying key gaps in how businesses manage global expansion. With the background of building a record label (EOR) service company successful employers, the company’s model is that third parties legally hire workers on behalf of businesses to simplify global recruitment – Hammell recognizes that many organizations need support beyond the traditional EOR solutions. Specifically, he sees companies often struggle with the transition from early international recruitment to fully expanding and operating global teams.
Helios was created to meet this need through a technology-first platform that simplifies how businesses manage, participate and pay for their international workforce. The platform provides tools for automated onboarding, local compliance, contractor and employee management, global payroll and AI-driven insights – all in a unified system. By reducing the complexity of global operations, Helios gives companies confidence to scale up internationally and compete effectively in today’s borderless economy.
What prompted you to launch Helios? How have your past experience in human resources and global workforce management influenced the direction of a company?
The launch of Helios is a desire to simplify global workforce management through my extensive experience in human resources. I have witnessed first-hand the complexity that companies face when managing international teams, and Helios.io was created to simplify these processes with innovative technologies.
Helios is established in global expansion. What challenges do you intend to solve for companies operating across borders?
Helios solves cross-border challenges by providing a unified platform that can manage a variety of compliance requirements and cultural differences. It aims to simplify international wage and human resources tasks, reduce administrative burdens and ensure consistency. From the outset, we have seen companies experiencing global expansion be hampered by fragmented systems and inconsistent compliance standards. Helios aims to remove these barriers by providing centralized solutions that adapt to local regulations, enabling businesses to expand confidently and focus on growth.
AI is often seen as destructive, but you position it as support. How do you think about AI being suitable for the modern HR technology stack?
AI in human resources is a support tool for improving efficiency and decision-making. In the modern HR technology stack, AI promotes data-driven insights, automates routine tasks, and focuses HR professionals on strategic planning. We believe that AI is the driving force that complements human capabilities rather than replaces them. By automating repetitive processes, AI allows businesses and HR teams to spend more time on strategic planning and employee engagement, thereby facilitating a more dynamic and responsive workplace.
Can you share how your AI assistant Albert-IQ helps HR teams make smarter decisions?
Albert-IQ assists the HR team by analyzing large amounts of data to provide actionable insights. It helps predict trends, optimize workforce planning and ensure compliance, enabling more knowledge and strategic decisions.
In this world where AI can now handle tasks like onboarding and payroll in seconds, what do you think will become more important for the HR team?
As AI takes over repetitive tasks such as onboarding and payroll, HR teams will need to focus more on strategic planning, employee engagement, and foster a positive workplace culture to drive innovation. In areas such as leadership development and cultural alignment, human factors remain crucial. HR professionals and business leaders will play a key role in guiding organizational change and ensuring technological advancements translate into meaningful employee experiences.
Do you think the role of HR or compliance in AI enhancement is mature and that always requires human touch?
The roles involved in data analytics and compliance tracking are mature to allow AI enhancements. However, areas such as employee relationships and cultural development will always require empathy and intuition to touch people. AI is very helpful when categorizing through data and discovery patterns, especially in compliance or reporting. But when it comes to motivating people, building trust, or guiding someone through difficult times, there is no substitute for human connection. These are moments that define culture, and they require empathy, not algorithms.
Helios collects a lot of data. How do you help companies turn it into meaningful insights?
Helios helps companies provide clear, actionable insights to drive strategic decisions by analyzing their data using AI. This allows businesses to make informed choices to improve efficiency and growth.
How does Helios distinguish its AI capabilities from other platforms in the global payroll and HCM space?
Helios distinguishes itself by providing highly customized solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing systems, enabling real-time insights and predictive analytics tailored to specific business needs.
What is your vision for how to continue to develop AI in the Helios platform in the next 3-5 years?
Over the next 2-3 years, we envision AI within Helios to continue to evolve to provide more personalized and predictive capabilities, further enhance strategic decision-making and enable proactive human resource management. Our goal is to develop AI capabilities that predict organizational needs, such as predicting talent gaps and suggesting tailor-made development plans. Through integrated predictive analytics, Helios aims to enable businesses to make informed decisions that align with their long-term goals.
Thanks for your excellent interview, and readers who hope to learn more should visit Helios.
