Revolutionizing Global Workforce Management: An Interview with Rick Hammell, CEO of Helios

Identifying the Gap in Global Expansion

Rick Hammell, SPHR, Founder and CEO of Helios, launched the company after recognizing a critical gap in how businesses manage global expansion. Drawing from his experience founding a successful Employer of Record (EOR) services company, Hammell noticed that many organizations needed more comprehensive support than traditional EOR solutions offered. Companies often struggled to transition from early-stage international hiring to fully scaling and operationalizing global teams.

The Helios Platform: Simplifying Global Workforce Management

Helios was created as a technology-first platform designed to simplify how businesses manage, engage, and pay their international workforce. It offers a suite of tools including automated onboarding, localized compliance, contractor and employee management, global payroll, and AI-powered insights—all integrated into one unified system. By reducing the complexity of managing global operations, Helios empowers companies to scale internationally with confidence and compete effectively in a borderless economy.

Overcoming Cross-Border Challenges

Helios addresses the challenges companies face when operating across borders by providing a unified platform that manages diverse compliance requirements and cultural differences. It simplifies international payroll and HR tasks, reduces administrative burdens, and ensures consistency. Traditional fragmented systems and inconsistent compliance standards often hinder global expansion, but Helios eliminates these barriers with a centralized solution that adapts to local regulations.

The Role of AI in Modern HR

Rick Hammell views AI not as a disruptive force but as a supportive tool that enhances efficiency and decision-making within HR. AI facilitates data-driven insights, automates routine tasks, and enables HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives. Helios’ AI assistant, Albert-IQ, analyzes vast amounts of data to provide actionable insights, predict trends, optimize workforce planning, and ensure compliance.

The Human Element in an AI-Driven HR World

While AI can handle repetitive tasks like onboarding and payroll, Hammell emphasizes the continued importance of human involvement in areas such as leadership development, employee engagement, and cultural alignment. Roles involving data analysis and compliance are suited for AI augmentation, but employee relations and culture-building require empathy and intuition that only humans can provide.

Data-Driven Insights and Future Vision

Helios helps companies translate large volumes of data into meaningful, actionable insights through AI-powered analytics. This supports strategic decisions that enhance efficiency and growth. Looking ahead, Hammell envisions AI evolving within Helios to offer more personalized and predictive capabilities, such as forecasting talent gaps and suggesting tailored development programs, enabling proactive HR management aligned with long-term business objectives.