Human resources stocks

The best human resources (HR) stocks depend on your portfolio and investment goals — while volatility can be ideal for day traders, long-term investors will want to look to stocks with steadier gains over time.

How to buy HR stocks

Sign up with an online broker or platform to invest in one of more of these HR stocks.

1. Compare share trading platforms. If you're a beginner, look for a platform with low commissions, expert ratings and investment tools to track your portfolio. Use our comparison table to narrow down top brokers by fees and bonuses.
2. Open and fund your brokerage account. Complete an application with your personal and financial details, like your ID and bank information. Fund your account with a bank transfer, credit card or debit card.
3. Search for the stock you're interested in. Find the stock by name or ticker symbol, like KELYA or NSP. Research its history to confirm it's a solid investment against your financial goals.
4. Purchase now or later. Invest in the staffing industry today with a market order or use a limit order to delay your purchase until the stock reaches your desired price. To spread out your purchase, look into dollar-cost averaging, which smooths out buying at consistent intervals and amounts.
5. Decide on how many to buy. Weigh your budget against a diversified portfolio that can minimize risk through the market's ups and downs. You may be able to buy fractional shares, depending on your broker.
6. Check in on your investment. Congratulations, you own a part of a HR company. Optimize your portfolio by tracking how your stock — and even the staffing sector as a whole — performs with an eye on the long term. You may be eligible for dividends and shareholder voting rights on directors and management that can affect your stock.

Compare HR stocks

We round up a selection of stocks in or related to the staffing industry, weighting the list more heavily towards popular mid- and large-cap US stocks.

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1. Kelly Services (KELYA)

Kelly Services, Inc. , together with its subsidiaries, provides workforce solutions to various industries. The company operates through five segments: Professional & Industrial; Science, Engineering & Technology; Education; Outsourcing & Consulting; and International.

Kelly Services stock opened the day at $20.60 after a previous close of $20.46. The latest price was $20.87 (25 minute delay). Kelly Services is listed on the NASDAQ, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD4.5 billion and employs 7,100 staff.

• Market capitalization: $936,373,888
• P/E ratio: 4.3803
• PEG ratio: 1.0477

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2. Insperity (NSP)

Insperity, Inc. provides human resources (HR) and business solutions to improve business performance for small and medium-sized businesses. The company offers its HR services through its Workforce Optimization and Workforce Synchronization solutions, which include a range of human resources functions, such as payroll and employment administration, employee benefits, workers' compensation, government compliance, performance management, and training and development services.

Insperity stock opened the day at $83.19 after a previous close of $82.28. The latest price was $82.10 (25 minute delay). Insperity is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$4.3 billion and employs 3,600 staff.

• Market capitalization: $3,337,115,136
• P/E ratio: 24.6695
• PEG ratio: 1.5249

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3. Kforce (KFRC)

Kforce Inc. provides professional staffing services and solutions in the United States. It operates through Technology (Tech) and Finance and Accounting (FA) segments.

Kforce stock opened the day at $50.60 after a previous close of $50.53. The latest price was $50.38 (25 minute delay). Kforce is listed on the NASDAQ, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$1.4 billion and employs 2,000 staff.

• Market capitalization: $1,224,285,440
• P/E ratio: 21.2672
• PEG ratio: 0.43

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4. Korn Ferry (KFY)

Korn Ferry, together with its subsidiaries, provides organizational consulting services worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consulting, Digital, Executive Search, and RPO (Recruitment Process Outsourcing) & Professional Search. The company provides executive search services to fill executive-level positions, such as board directors, chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief operating officers, chief information officers, chief human resource officers, and other senior executive officers for clients in the industrial, financial services, life sciences/healthcare provider, consumer, technology, and educational/not-for-profit market sectors.

Korn Ferry stock opened the day at $61.34 after a previous close of $60.40. The latest price was $60.43 (25 minute delay). Korn Ferry is listed on the NYSE, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$1.7 billion and employs 8,198 staff.

• Market capitalization: $3,487,758,592
• P/E ratio: 75.2254
• PEG ratio: 1.36

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5. Upwork (UPWK)

Upwork Inc. , together with its subsidiaries, operates an online talent marketplace that enables businesses to find and work with various independent professionals and agencies in the United States, India, the Philippines, and internationally. The company's platform provides access to talent with various skills across a range of categories, including sales and marketing, customer service, data science and analytics, design and creative, web, mobile, and software development.

Upwork stock opened the day at $45.60 after a previous close of $44.98. The latest price was $42.54 (25 minute delay). Upwork is listed on the NASDAQ, has a trailing 12-month revenue of around USD$373.6 million and employs 540 staff.

• Market capitalization: $6,129,385,984

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6. Freelancer (FLN)

Freelancer Limited operates a freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace in Australia. It operates through two segments, Online Marketplace and Online Payment Services. Through its marketplace employers can hire freelancers to do work in areas, such as software development, writing, data entry and design, engineering, sciences, sales and marketing, and accounting and legal services.

Freelancer stock opened the day at A$0.69 after a previous close of A$0.65. The latest price was A$0.64 (25 minute delay). Freelancer is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and has a trailing 12-month revenue of around AUD$58.8 million. All prices are listed in Australian Dollars.

• Market capitalization: $242,421,344

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Bottom line

While it’s possible to turn a profit investing in HR stocks, keep in mind that — like any investment — HR stocks are not immune to risk. These stocks are subject to fluctuating conditions — both in the market and in the staffing industry, so carefully vet your picks before you invest. And if you’re new to investing, or if it’s been awhile since you’ve taken a critical look at your investing accounts, compare brokers to make sure you’re getting the best features in your trading account.