PEO is not the same as a staffing agency. However, some PEO providers can provide the same resources and functions as a staffing agency. Both PEO providers and staffing agencies focus on HR tasks. But with a staffing agency, you’re just outsourcing the hiring process. With PEOs, you’re either doing the hiring on your own or outsourcing it to a co-employer with other administrative tasks like payroll and compliance. A staffing agency does not offer these types of services.