HR Companies & HR Consultants in Helena, MT

A2Z Staffing Solutions is a staffing and recruiting firm based in Helena that has worked with Montana employers since 2003. It is entirely woman-owned and independent. The firm places workers in temporary, temp-to-hire and permanent roles. It also takes on a large share of the HR administration that comes with employing people, which makes it relevant to organizations that need help with hiring, with running a workforce, or with both.

Services for Employers

Besides recruiting, A2Z offers back-office HR and payroll support. For many clients it acts as the Employer of Record. In that role it handles payroll taxes, year-end W-2s, Affordable Care Act compliance and filing, and access to benefit options. Its main lines of work include:

• Temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire placement
• Weekly payroll and benefits administration
• Certified payroll for prevailing wage and Davis-Bacon public works jobs
• Onboarding, offboarding and ongoing employee care
• Workers' compensation, unemployment insurance and risk mitigation
• Candidate sourcing, screening and testing

Who They Serve

Government is one of A2Z's longest-running areas of work. The firm has held several State of Montana contracts and also serves municipal and federal agencies. It has staffed offices across the state in administration, call centers, IT, labs, parks, natural resources, engineering and warehousing.

It has also arranged placements for workers coming from out of state and for F-1 visa holders. In construction, it fills jobs from superintendents and estimators to skilled trades and general labor. Contractors can also get safety training and workers' compensation cost management. The firm works with the Montana State Fund's WorkSafe Champions program.

For large companies, A2Z can take over hiring and retention work, which helps when a business is growing fast or dealing with high turnover. For small businesses, it can run weekly payroll and handle insurance-related work that a small staff may not have time for.

Its industry list also covers banking, healthcare, insurance, telecommunications, renewable energy, manufacturing, aviation, hospitality and retail.

Credentials and Approach

A2Z holds several certifications: Woman Owned Small Business, Woman Business Enterprise, Small Business Enterprise and Small Disadvantaged Business Enterprise. It also has Department of Transportation DBE status in twelve western and other states, including Montana, Washington, California and Colorado, plus ACDBE certification for airport concessions.

These credentials let the firm join Tier-1 and Tier-2 supplier arrangements and team on large bids. Prime contractors can use it to meet diversity inclusion goals. The firm says it has been chosen for small, invitation-only supplier groups on major contracts.

The firm's pay policy may matter to buyers. A2Z mainly takes on positions that pay at least a set minimum hourly wage, because it believes fair pay attracts stronger candidates. The team says it has more than a century of combined staffing experience.

Job seekers can apply online, and the firm also helps people who are moving to Montana find work. A2Z also partners on the ADROIT Career Training program, which helps workers move along a career path. The firm says some employers may qualify for grants through this program.

Adroit Employment Resources is a Montana staffing, recruiting and HR support firm that operates alongside its Helena-based sister brand, A2Z Staffing Solutions. The company is entirely woman-owned and has served employers in the state since 2003. It places workers in Bozeman, Big Sky and communities statewide, and it also takes on assignments beyond Montana for public agencies, private companies and Fortune 500 corporations.

Services for employers

Adroit combines traditional recruiting with administrative HR support, so clients can hand off both finding staff and the paperwork that follows a hire. Its published service lineup includes:

• Human resource consulting
• Payroll support and bookkeeping
• Executive search and specialized technical recruiting
• Contingent workforce placement and management
• Temporary, temp-to-hire and direct hire placements
• Real estate and relocation support for incoming talent

For smaller businesses, Adroit can serve as the Employer of Record. In that role it runs weekly payroll, files payroll taxes, produces year-end W-2s, handles Affordable Care Act reporting, arranges workers' compensation coverage and manages unemployment insurance. It also offers benefits to the workers it places.

Construction and public-sector clients can rely on it for certified payroll on prevailing wage and Davis-Bacon jobs, along with safety training delivered in partnership with the WorkSafe Champions program run by Montana State Fund. Employers start by submitting a hire request through its online client portal, and job seekers apply through a fully online process.

Industries and specialties

The firm has a long record with government. It has held several State of Montana contracts and has staffed roles in administration, call center customer service, IT, warehousing, labs, parks, natural resources and engineering, and it has arranged out-of-state and F-1 visa placements.

Its other target sectors include construction and infrastructure, green energy, advanced manufacturing (CNC and additive production), bioscience and healthcare, non-profits, and emerging technology fields such as photonics and quantum. Client references cover banks, accounting and law firms, hospitals, insurers, builders, hospitality operators and retailers.

Adroit says it mainly accepts assignments that pay at least a stated minimum hourly wage, a policy it ties to attracting stronger candidates.

Credentials and what sets it apart

Supplier diversity is a central part of Adroit's offering. It holds WOSB, WBE, SBE and SDE certifications and has DOT Disadvantaged Business Enterprise status in twelve western and other states, from Washington and California to Maine, plus airport concession (ACDBE) certification.

With these credentials, prime contractors and corporations can bring Adroit onto Tier-1 or Tier-2 contracts and teaming agreements to meet inclusion goals. The company reports that it has been invited into small, select supplier groups, including an exclusive diversity supplier role on a large global financial management contract.

Relocation help is another distinguishing feature. Adroit employs a licensed real estate agent and works with a statewide network, so it can help candidates moving to Montana with both the job search and finding housing. The firm also offers online professional courses under its ACT program.

Westaff of Helena is a staffing and human resources company based in Montana's capital. Its tagline sums up the two-sided model: jobs for people and staff for business. The firm places workers in temporary and permanent positions, and it also operates a consulting and training practice that serves organizations of all sizes around the state. Much of that work centers on Montana employment law and the day-to-day practices that keep employers compliant.

The company says it is guided by five values: honesty, integrity, community, family first and passion. It describes these as principles that shape its relationships and business decisions rather than slogans. Because the firm's product is productive people, it argues that a culture built on sound relationships gives it an edge.

In an internal survey asking staff to rate Westaff overall as a workplace, 98% reported being satisfied or very satisfied and said they would recommend it to friends and relatives.

HR consulting and outsourced support

Employers without a dedicated HR function, or those needing extra capacity, can use Westaff as an extension of their own team. Virtual support is offered at several levels, from forms and templates to an HR specialist, an HR manager or an entire outsourced department. Engagements may be structured as ongoing monthly service, hourly work or defined projects.

Clients also receive a manager support line for coaching by phone or email, along with a monthly newsletter covering timely HR topics. A complaint hotline allows Westaff to hear employee concerns directly, which the firm says helps clients reduce liability and strengthen retention and morale. Typical consulting areas include:

• Full HR audits
• Handbook and policy development
• Writing, reviewing and rewriting job descriptions
• Advice on pay practices and wage and hour compliance
• Support with onboarding and separations
• Workplace investigations, conducted remotely or on site
• Complaint resolution and facilitated meetings
• Executive and general recruitment

Training programs

Training forms a substantial part of the offering. The School of Managing in Montana gives supervisors grounding in communication, team building and the state's employment rules. A monthly online session called the Leadership Hour delivers brief, practical instruction for managers and HR professionals.

The firm also leads DiSC sessions focused on teamwork, communication and productivity, and an annual HR bootcamp that can be customized for one organization. Other topics include harassment and discrimination, the ADA, FMLA, workers' compensation, exempt and non-exempt status, attendance, discipline, manager liability, Montana's Wage Payment Act and the Wrongful Discharge Act.

Job seekers have access to free online classes as well.

Staffing and people

On the staffing side, the staffing manager is the first contact for new candidates, learning about their experience, skills and job preferences before matching them to openings. Clients then receive a group of qualified candidates to choose from. The office manager handles payroll and helps coordinate the company's partnership with Vocational Rehabilitation.

Michelle Edmunds, who holds the SPHR and SHRM-SCP credentials, serves as President and Senior HR Consultant. Her undergraduate training is in HR and industrial relations at a Minnesota business school, and she received a local 20 under 40 recognition in 2015. She also volunteers with SHRM at chapter and national levels.

Corinne Moore, PHR, joined in 2014 as a Senior HR Consultant, with communication degrees from Carroll College and San Diego State University. She leads Helena's Job Service Employers' Committee. Rounding out the team are a branch manager, a client services coordinator, a staffing manager and an office manager.

For employers weighing providers, the distinguishing feature is the combination of an active staffing operation with certified HR advisers who concentrate on Montana requirements.