Transforming Your Business and Employee Experience with Precision Benefits 

Transforming Your Business and Employee Experience with Precision Benefits 

On Tuesday, March 5th Empyrean will attend the LIMRA Enrollment Technology Strategy Seminar. Tammy Kaplan, a Strategic Account Advisor at Empyrean will be participating in a panel discussion sharing insights and a case study about the impact Precision Benefits has had for a client and their employees. Precision Benefits is our AI enabled technology that empowers employees with personalized benefits recommendations fueled by their individual health data. 

Tammy has a strong passion for delivering positive benefit experiences and lives the Empyrean mission to connect benefits and enrich lives. As Product Consultant within Empyrean’s Strategic Account Advisor team, Tammy consults with clients on best practices in using our data-driven benefits engagement tools. She also leads the client governance program for these capabilities, including oversight of medical and carrier engagement, communication planning, optimizing configuration of communication tools, delivery of reporting and insights, and continued servicing of the program with year-to-year changes in benefits strategy and workplace programs. 

CLIENT 

 A Professional Services Firm with more than 16,000 employees located across the U.S. was having service issues with their previous benefits administration vendor and their health plan costs were over-budget. They wanted to maintain the same level of choice for employees while driving them to right-sized plans through a powerful and engaging benefits experience and needed a partner to help them accomplish these goals.  

CHALLENGE  

It was important to the client that their new platform would make it possible for employees to understand the value of the benefits offered, leading to better enrollment and utilization decisions and a stronger connection to their company culture. It was also important to the client that their new benefits platform could create a positive employee benefits experience through convenient and trustworthy benefits decision-making and healthcare navigation tools. They found it critical that their new solution could educate employees on the best plan options for their individual lifestyles while offering a data-driven benefits shopping experience that would drive better enrollment and utilization decisions, and ultimately better outcomes for both their employees and overall organization 

SOLUTION 

Precision Benefits empowered the client’s employees to use their own health data to help predict their out-of-pocket costs. It also helped them evaluate how other benefits such as an HSA, Healthcare FSA, hospital indemnity, accident and critical illness plans could help offset their medical plan costs. Once enrollment was done, Empyrean provided one platform for employees to access and engage with their benefits while connecting them to programs that support their wellbeing. Empyrean also partnered with the client to deliver robust communications and education to help improve year-round benefit decisions. 

Learn more about how Precision Benefits can elevate the lives of your employees. 

Empyrean Announces an Expansion of Solutions That Champion a Connected Culture Across the Employee Journey

Empyrean Announces an Expansion of Solutions That Champion a Connected Culture Across the Employee Journey

Empyrean expands its business model, offering two solutions that work independently or in concert to help organizations build a connected culture—increasing employee productivity, wellbeing and retention.

HOUSTON — (Feb. 22, 2024) — Empyrean, a company committed to building better corporate cultures, today unveils a business expansion to help organizations build a connected culture by supporting the entirety of the employee experience through two solutions: Empyrean Benefits and Empyrean Connect. 

Empyrean’s move comes in response to the critical market need for more integrated and connected work cultures. Numerous workplace research studies show that employees want to work at organizations where they feel connected to the company purpose and the C-Suite has recognized that a cohesive employee experience leads to higher employee engagement, productivity, and ultimately retention.

“We’re living in a new employment era where it is more important than ever for employers to connect employees with their brand, culture, and employer-provided resources that exist to support the entire employee lifecycle,” said Rich Wolfe, CEO of Empyrean. “The focus of Empyrean’s solutions on creating a connected culture is the answer organizations need to bring their employee value proposition to life; whether it is through recruiting, life events, day to day productivity, or communications.”

Empyrean Benefits is a full-service benefits administration, integrated ancillary services and benefits guidance solution. Empyrean Connect is a robust employee engagement solution that transforms the way organizations create, deliver, and measure internal communications, employee productivity tools and programs, and wellbeing initiatives. While Empyrean Connect offers deeper levels of customization, both solutions can be client-branded and configured to meet the unique needs of an organization.

Empyrean’s expanded market position brings together their innovative technology, a service-first approach, and a deep focus on employee experience. Though Empyrean Connect can be sold independently of Empyrean Benefits, when paired together, Empyrean clients gain a comprehensive support system for the entire employee journey, reinforcing Empyrean’s vision of building a connected culture and helping clients to retain talent.

“More than just robust technologies and great capabilities, companies want a partner that can support the well-being of every one of their employees and create a more connected and accessible employee experience across every touchpoint,” said Jim Priebe, Chief Strategy Officer of Empyrean.

Empyrean customers are already seeing success in the new approach to building a connected culture:

“We have seen a tremendous increase in benefits adoption and overall employee engagement from our highly dispersed workforce. We attribute that change to the power of having a single company app with integrated BenAdmin, all powered by Empyrean,” said Felecia May, benefits director at NextTier Oilfield Solutions.

Learn more about Empyrean Connect: click here.

Learn more about recent enhancements to Empyrean Benefits: click here.

About Empyrean

Established in 2006, Empyrean is a leading technology SaaS company empowering organizations with innovative technology and a service-first approach that accelerates employers’ benefits and employee retention strategies. Empyrean’s platform and services enhances the wellbeing and workplace engagement of over 6.5 million people, fostering stronger connections between employees and employers. By enriching employee experiences, Empyrean not only strengthens employer brands but also cultivates vibrant workplace cultures for organizational success. Visit us at goempyrean.com.

Empyrean Launches the Experience Lab – Transforming Client Engagement Through Customized Content 

Empyrean Launches the Experience Lab – Transforming Client Engagement Through Customized Content 

Empyrean is announcing a new strategic creative communications and content service called The Experience Lab. This service is seamlessly integrated with the Empyrean Platform, providing a comprehensive suite of services to enhance client support. These services include consulting, strategy development, custom content creation, campaign execution, and detailed performance analysis and reporting.   

With The Experience Lab, you can unlock the full potential of your benefits program, creating a more fulfilled and motivated workforce. 

Strategy 

Crafting a benefits strategy is only effective if your employees are aware and engaged with what’s offered. Empyrean’s solution addresses this by delivering a tailored, omnichannel communication strategy to meet your organization’s unique needs. This approach not only enhances the visibility and impact of your benefits but also strengthens your organizational culture by demonstrating your commitment to your workforce. 

By leveraging our tailored communication methods, your organization can enhance its culture through a deeper, more meaningful engagement with benefits. 

The Workshop 

The journey with Empyrean begins with an engaging strategy workshop, a crucial step in comprehending your specific challenges and goals. Our primary focus is to align our strategies closely with your objectives, undertaken with precision and attention. 

The structure of the workshop is crafted to encourage clear and effective communication. It’s a way for both Empyrean and your team to exchange ideas and viewpoints openly. This interactive session sets the stage for constructive dialogue, helping us to establish key analytical benchmarks that will steer the creation of a tailor-made plan. 

This plan, born out of the insights gained during the workshop, will be specifically designed to tackle your identified needs, ensuring a smooth transition into a solid partnership. 

Insight Report 

Following the workshop, Empyrean will present a detailed insight report. This document will highlight crucial findings, offer strategic advice, and present a customized roadmap designed specifically for your needs. The insights from the workshop will be converted into an actionable plan that aligns with your corporate objectives. 

Empyrean understands that the effectiveness of a benefits strategy is measured not just in its creation but in its ongoing management. To this end, we provide structured, regular reporting. Expect quarterly updates, which will give a clear view of the progress made towards the established goals. These reports are essential for monitoring real-world results and making timely adjustments to adapt to any changing needs or circumstances. 

Enabling Your Strategy 

Our dedicated benefits communication team is poised to develop and implement a comprehensive year-long strategy that will enhance your benefits program and actively engage your workforce. We specialize in creating custom campaigns tailored to meet your organizational goals, complete with all the necessary assets to bring each campaign to life.  

The Experience Lab is not just about creating content; it’s about forging strong partnerships. We collaborate closely with employers, consultants, and brokers to support all facets of custom content and communication strategy needs.  

In fact, one of the first brands to work with Empyrean’s Experience Lab was able to reduce the portion of employees who declined health benefits coverage in 2024 by 7%, compared with the previous year. At the same time, the company encouraged 44% of employees to enroll in a newly offered PPO. 

Our aim is to be your trusted partner, working together to enhance the way you connect with your people. With The Experience Lab, Empyrean is set to redefine client engagement, offering an unmatched level of service and expertise in the realm of communication strategies. 

Ethical AI in Benefits: Our Commitment to Progress Together 

Ethical AI in Benefits: Our Commitment to Progress Together 

At Empyrean, we’re enhancing the way you connect your people to their benefits with AI – not by replacing the human element, but by amplifying it.  
 
We’re dedicated to enhancing the human side of Human Resources through AI and believe that the real power of AI lies in its ability to enhance human service, adding a personal touch to technology.   

We understand the importance of maintaining a balance between innovation and ethical responsibility and our commitment to our employees, clients, and to society goes beyond technological advancement; we aim to ensure that our solutions not only advance humanity but also foster a more equitable and inclusive workplace.  

Our core principles: 

Transparency 

We pledge to be open about how and why our AI systems make decisions, providing our clients with understandable and accessible explanations. 

Accountability 
Empyrean takes full responsibility for the AI systems we deploy. We are committed to making AI that is reliable and that our teams can oversee, ensuring outcomes are fair and equitable. 

Integrity 
Our AI systems are designed to respect the dignity and privacy of all individuals. We implement rigorous data governance practices to protect sensitive information and ensure confidentiality. 

Fairness 
Empyrean’s AI is built with bias mitigation strategies to prevent discrimination and ensure equal and just treatment for all users. 

Collaboration 
We believe in the power of partnership, working closely with clients, employees, and the broader community to understand and address the ethical implications of AI. 

Empowerment 
Our AI is created to augment human capability, not replace it. We design our systems to empower HR professionals and employees, enhancing their abilities and decision-making. 

Progressive Learning 
We are dedicated to the continuous improvement of our AI systems. Empyrean’s AI learns and evolves to better serve the needs of our clients and their employees.  

In an ever-evolving digital landscape, Empyrean is committed to being a leader not only in innovation but also in AI ethics. We strive to set a standard for how AI should be approached — with conscientiousness, care, and a deep sense of responsibility to the people we serve.  

Empyrean is not just a benefits administration company; we’re your ally in navigating the evolving landscape of HR technology. By partnering together, your journey with us is always evolving, keeping your business future ready.  

Ready to elevate your benefits with AI? See our approach to AI here.  

Empyrean Launches Enhanced Benefits Capabilities to Support a Richer, More Connected Employee Experience

Empyrean Launches Enhanced Benefits Capabilities to Support a Richer, More Connected Employee Experience

Enhancements to benefits and engagement technology as well as the launch of in-house content and strategy services are all designed to create a better benefits experience for employers and employees.

HOUSTON — Feb. 1, 2024 — Empyrean, the company committed to building better corporate cultures through benefits, today announced the launch of enhanced benefits technologies as well as an in-house content and strategy service to create a more connected experience for employees and their benefits.

The moves reflect Empyrean’s continuous innovation, dedication and focus on addressing the needs of employers, HR teams and end-users.

“Empyrean is already known for its powerful platform for ben-admin, and this is just the next evolution of our commitment to innovating the technologies and services that help employers elevate benefits in the employee experience,” said Rich Wolfe, CEO of Empyrean. 

To further advance a connected employee experience, in response to evolving market demands, Empyrean has made significant updates to its mobile app and desktop experience.

Together, the mobile and desktop experiences emphasize personalized engagement and now include access to a robust library of educational content and ready-to-deploy campaigns.

Unlike other benefit administration experiences, the app and desktop solutions provide seamless and consistent user experiences. Further, to build trust and increase employer affiliation, the app icon and overall mobile experience will automatically update to match the client’s branded desktop experience after login. Empyrean’s market-leading approach to the employee experience offers its clients a unique way to deepen brand loyalty and increase employee engagement.

The enhanced technologies also integrate new approaches to AI that are more personalized and human-centric. Empyrean’s conversational AI chat has been enhanced to now include automated tasks, enabling immediate and accurate responses to employee queries and requests. The company is also making substantial AI updates to its service center operations, focused on enhancing the quality and efficiency of customer interactions. 

“Empyrean is committed to AI that augments human interactions to bring a personal touch as well as positioning AI as a collaborative partner to HR. We believe employees need a more connected experience with employer-provided benefits, and AI can play a critical role in improving that experience across the board,” said Colleen Waymel, COO of Empyrean.

Empyrean is announcing a new creative communications and content service — The Experience Lab — to provide support for multi-media campaigns, educational content development and related collateral. Clients can now leverage Empyrean’s expertise in benefits communications to support their annual benefits program objectives and connect more effectively with employees in multiple mediums.

One of the first brands to work with Empyrean’s Experience Lab was able to reduce the portion of employees who declined health benefits coverage in 2024 by 7%, compared with the previous year. At the same time, the company encouraged 44% of employees to enroll in a newly offered PPO.

To learn more about similar success stories and Empyrean’s enhancements, visit our blog.

About Empyrean

We believe everybody deserves a workplace culture that supports their total well-being through benefits. Since 2006, Empyrean has provided hundreds of employers of varying size, industry, and benefit plan complexity with the innovative technology and best-in-class service necessary to accelerate their benefits strategies and bring their benefits programs to life. Empyrean’s platform and services are designed to create connected employee benefit experiences that enrich lives, strengthen employer brands, and improve workplace cultures for over 6 million people. Visit us at http://goempyrean.com.

Empyrean’s 2024 Roadmap: Enhanced Benefits Capabilities to Support a More Connected Employee Experience  

Empyrean’s 2024 Roadmap: Enhanced Benefits Capabilities to Support a More Connected Employee Experience  

As we step into 2024, Empyrean is at the forefront of employee engagement and benefits administration. Our 2024 Product roadmap unveils a series of advancements and technologies designed to enhance communication, streamline processes, and empower employees. This reflects Empyrean’s continuous innovation, dedication, and focus on addressing the needs of employers, HR teams, and end-users.  

Here’s a glimpse into what Empyrean has in store for this exciting year. 

Platform Content 

Empyrean is set to redefine how organizations connect with their workforce. With our enhanced content library, featuring educational content and over 60 ready-to-use campaigns, we’re offering a versatile platform for delivering impactful messages across multiple channels. These campaigns cover a wide range of topics, from mental health to compliance, ensuring that our clients’ communication is comprehensive and engaging.  

Enhanced Mobile & Desktop Experience 

To further advance a connected employee experience, in response to evolving market demands, Empyrean has made significant updates to its mobile app and desktop experience as well as the announcement of our upgraded mobile app, BenefitsGO.  

Unlike other benefit administration experiences, the app and desktop solution provides a seamless and consistent user experience. Further, to build trust and increase employer affiliation, the app icon and overall mobile experience will automatically update to match the client’s branded desktop experience after login. Empyrean’s market-leading approach to the employee experience offers its clients a unique way to deepen brand loyalty and increase employee engagement. 

AI and Cloud Technologies 

Empyrean is dedicated to engaging the power of AI to better serve our clients at every level and elevate every interaction. Our conversational AI chat will now include automated tasks, providing immediate and accurate support to employee queries. This advancement ensures a more efficient and responsive interaction, elevating the overall user experience. On the cloud front, Empyrean’s continued strategic expansion into advanced cloud technologies promotes increased platform performance, enhanced reliability, and the most modern infrastructure.  

Experience Lab 

Empyrean is announcing a new strategic creative communications and content service called The Experience Lab. This new offering from Empyrean will provide support for multi-media campaigns, educational content development, and other custom collateral that organizations can use to communicate and engage with their employees in a more meaningful way. Clients can now leverage Empyrean’s expertise in benefits communications to support their annual benefits program objectives and connect more effectively with employees across multiple mediums. 

As Empyrean strides into 2024, our roadmap is more than a set of enhancements; it’s a vision for a more connected, efficient, and empowered workplace. Read our full 2024 Product Roadmap here.  

Beyond 2024, Empyrean will invest time and resources across various initiatives. With a strong focus on an engaging People Experience, we’ll keep innovating with our core BenAdmin technology and service delivery to help organizations build a connected culture. 

Behind the Firewall: A Candid Talk with the CITO on Empyrean’s Data Security Strategies

Behind the Firewall: A Candid Talk with the CITO on Empyrean’s Data Security Strategies

We talked to Empyrean’s CITO, Kelly Clark to get his unique insight into how Empyrean stacks up in cyber security. 

Empyrean: Why are you excited about Empyrean? 

I’ve been in this space for quite some time. Empyrean should be proud of its technical stack. A lot of the organizations that I’ve had experience with are suffering from quite a bit of technical debt. Perhaps its security posture isn’t as strong as it needs to be. And I looked at joining Empyrean, I looked across the market and I was really impressed with the amount of investment they put into their core platform, how they’re thinking about security, their focus on product and their focus on operations service excellence.  All of those things combined, make us the preeminent benefits admin platform and service offering in the industry.  

Empyrean: Why does security matter? 

Data privacy is in the forefront of everyone’s mind. You go online every day; some people still get the newspaper believe it or not and there’s an article about a security breach. Data security and security are super important at the individual and employer level. 

I’m proud to say Empyrean is in a very good spot. Our security model is structured around the HIPAA framework and from there we dropdown into the NIST cyber security framework. The NIST cyber security framework is utilized by most companies in most industries of any size and any scale. So, it’s important for us to capitalize on this and think of three pillars: 

Confidentiality, data integrity, and data accessibility. 

Empyrean: What is Empyrean’s security strategy? 

Our security strategy is really focused on a framework that handles both physical and technical security and it’s built on those three pillars of confidentiality, data integrity, and data accessibility. When you think about security maturity, we often get asked about our SOC 1 and SOC 2 as part of the RFP process. We’ve decided as an organization to enhance our security governance model, our framework, and our maturity by going down the ISO certification route. On top of that, we bring in a 3rd party who’s doing a complete audit of our security model.  They’re looking at our governance structure, our framework, they’re looking at our roadmap, they’re looking at our investments and they’re scoring us directly against the NIST framework. 

Empyrean: What is Empyrean’s cloud strategy? 

Everybody has different reasons for moving to the cloud. If you think about it from our perspective, we often get asked what’s your cloud strategy, are you moving to the cloud, are you already in the cloud? Our answer is yes, yes, and yes. We’re doing it for some very specific reasons. It provides organizational agility for us around innovation, bringing products to market, it allows us to scale our resources in a much quicker way, provides us cost efficiencies, fosters innovation, and at the end of the day it provides a much more stable base for business continuity planning, and disaster recovery. If you’re an employer group, you’re feeling good that Empyrean’s gone to the cloud. That if something major was to happen, our operations would continue. Employees would have access to the resources, tools, and services that we provide them. For us, it’s fundamentally about innovation, bringing products to market, elasticity, reliability – those are the fundamental reasons we’re moving to the cloud, and we believe in it.  

Our data operations process – second to none in the industry which in turn, lends itself to security. 

Empyrean: Why can we trust you to keep our data secure? 

We are an emerging leader with an 800+ score as a Bitsight rating. You couple that with our compliance components around our SOC and ISO, our transmission encryption, our at rest encryption, and our fundamental focus in security, that’s why you should trust us with your data.  

Check out all of the ways Empyrean secures your data. 

Innovating for Excellence: What’s New in Our Winter Product Release  

Innovating for Excellence: What’s New in Our Winter Product Release  

Empyrean continues to redefine the landscape of benefits administration by integrating state-of-the-art AI technologies and user-focused enhancements. The company’s latest rollouts are a testament to its enduring dedication to providing exceptional service and creating an intuitive, seamless user journey. 

Here are the key areas of focus where significant enhancements were made in the back half of 2023, improving both the administrator and participant experience: 

Central to Empyrean’s innovation strategy is the incorporation of Conversational AI within its Service Center, a move that dramatically improves response accuracy and speed in addressing questions from their members. This is complemented by the introduction of a convenient callback scheduling feature, tailored to enhance communication flexibility and efficiency, particularly during busy periods. These advancements highlight Empyrean’s focus on leveraging technology to meet and exceed member expectations. 

The company’s commitment to excellence is further evident in its AI-enhanced call quality assurance system. By analyzing every service call in real-time, Empyrean not only upholds its high service standards but also gathers critical insights for ongoing improvement. This approach underscores the company’s dedication to a data-driven, service-first model. 

Empyrean’s focus on user experience extends beyond its service center. The Benefits Portal has undergone significant design updates for improved navigability and user interaction. These updates reflect Empyrean’s holistic approach to making benefits management as user-friendly as possible. With its Precision Benefits  offering, Empyrean has introduced updated features and has streamlined plan review interfaces. These enhancements are designed not just to simplify user decisions but to empower members with clearer, more comprehensive information. 

Empyrean’s recent updates, characterized by AI integration and a deep understanding of user needs, demonstrate its relentless pursuit of service excellence and innovation. These efforts solidify Empyrean’s position as a leader in benefits administration, continuously evolving and setting new standards in member service and experience. 

Find out more about the Winter 2023 Empyrean platform updates in our product release notes. 

Empyrean Awarded for Using AI to Drive QA Excellence

Empyrean Awarded for Using AI to Drive QA Excellence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way organizations work, communicate, and engage with their people and partners. Empyrean is fully embracing the AI revolution and has seamlessly integrated AI technology into our Service Center operations. This enhancement not only empowers our workforce, but streamlines operations and provides unmatched service and support to both our clients and their employees.  

While many technology platforms emphasize AI’s role in driving results, Empyrean sees AI as a collaborative partner. Our team members leverage AI as a tool to work with HR and Benefits teams, providing insights and support that complement and enhance human capabilities.  

That’s why we’re excited to have been awarded Level AI’s QA Excellence Award, which reflects our team’s relentless pursuit of excellence in quality assurance practices and showcases our dedication to delivering top-notch client and customer experiences.

At Empyrean, AI is the powerhouse behind our team, enhancing — not replacing — human expertise. It’s about support, not substitution. 

Learn more about Empyrean’s ethical approach to Artificial Intelligence.  

Take Control of Your Health and Wealth: The Power of Empyrean’s Expense Management Feature  

Take Control of Your Health and Wealth: The Power of Empyrean’s Expense Management Feature  

Empyrean’s Expense Management feature, powered by Precision Benefits, is a game-changer in the world of healthcare and benefits administration. This innovative tool leverages our AI-driven proprietary algorithm to transform how employees handle their healthcare expenses.  

Effective management of health expenses allows employees to gain a clear understanding of the costs associated with their health and wealth choices, allowing them to make informed decisions that improve their total well-being. This clarity is invaluable, ensuring that employees fully leverage their benefits and make choices that are both financially and medically sound.  

How it Works 

The Manage Expenses feature brings organization and simplicity to what is often a complex and confusing process. It consolidates all medical events and bills in one accessible place, removing the hassle and stress typically associated with healthcare paperwork. This consolidation is more than just a convenience; it’s a strategic tool that empowers employees with a comprehensive view of their healthcare journey. The feature also includes timely reminders for utilizing Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), if available. These reminders are crucial in helping employees cover out-of-pocket healthcare costs, thus optimizing their financial resources. 

Read about how Manage Expenses helped Jay  

Jay is a passionate and adventurous young man with a love for sports and a zest for life. Whether on the basketball court or the soccer field, Jay is always in his element, pushing his limits and enjoying every moment.  

However, fate had a different plan for him when he suffered a severe knee injury during a game. As the pain grew, Jay knew he had to act and get knee surgery to regain his mobility and continue pursuing his dreams.  

He turned to Precision Benefits and utilized its expense management feature. This provided him with a comprehensive breakdown of the costs involved with his knee surgery, including hospital fees, medical tests, and post-operative care.  

Precision Benefits not only helped him through a challenging time but also empowered him to focus on what truly matters – his health and his passion for sports. 

Watch this video to learn more about how Manage Expenses helped Jay. 

Empyrean’s Manage Expenses feature is not just about tracking and organizing; it’s about proactive health and financial management. Enabling employees to stay on top of their healthcare finances effectively puts them in the driver’s seat. This control is critical in helping them avoid unexpected bills and make smarter, more cost-effective decisions about their health.  Employees can confidently manage and save on their health bills, enabling them to live a more stress-free and healthy life.  

Click here to explore more aspects of Precision Benefits.  

Navigating Healthcare Costs with Precision Benefits’ Plan for Care  

Navigating Healthcare Costs with Precision Benefits’ Plan for Care  

Understanding and managing the costs associated with major health services is a top priority for everyone these days.  For individuals and families, this is not just about staying healthy but also about effectively planning and budgeting their healthcare expenses. Empyrean’s Plan for Care, a feature from Precision Benefits, steps into this space, offering a comprehensive solution.  

Plan for Care is designed to prepare individuals for all healthcare scenarios, from routine check-ups to unexpected medical events. The feature delivers personalized messages based on individual and family health conditions, ensuring that the advice and information provided are as relevant and useful as possible. This personalized approach is critical in helping employees understand their unique healthcare landscapes and how they can navigate them effectively. 

How it Works 

The core of the Plan for Care feature is its ability to provide clear insights into the costs of major health services. This is where our AI-driven proprietary algorithm plays a pivotal role. By analyzing vast amounts of data, the tool can give employees a clear picture of what they can expect to pay for different healthcare services. This level of transparency is crucial in helping employees avoid unexpected financial burdens. Moreover, the feature offers insights into potential cost-saving measures. By knowing the anticipated out-of-pocket costs upfront, employees can make more educated choices about their healthcare, aligning their decisions with their financial situations. 

Read How Plan Review Helped Robyn 

Robyn is the proud franchise owner of a bustling hair salon and a determined woman living with diabetes. She refuses to let her condition define her or dampen her entrepreneurial spirit.  Robyn values the ability to plan and budget her healthcare expenses effectively. Plan Review  delivers insights into the expenses related to her diabetes treatments, regular check-ups, and any other medical services she might need in the future.  

The knowledge Robyn gains gives her a sense of financial security, allowing her to focus on what truly matters – her passion for hairstyling and providing exceptional service to her beloved clients. 

Watch this video to learn more about how Plan Review helped Robyn.    

Empyrean’s Plan for Care from Precision Benefits supports employees as they prepare for all healthcare scenarios, from the expected to unexpected. Its innovative use of AI and data-driven algorithms places it at the forefront of healthcare decision support tools, truly transforming the way employees engage with and manage their healthcare needs and expenses. This capability is not just about numbers; it’s about empowering your employees to make informed healthcare decisions that align with both their medical needs and financial capabilities. 

Learn more about Precision Benefits and how you can empower your team with a personalized benefits experience.  

Empyrean’s Approach to the AI Revolution

Empyrean’s Approach to the AI Revolution

In an era where Artificial Intelligence is evolving at an unparalleled pace, and where innovative products are emerging daily, defining an AI strategy is imperative for organizations in benefits administration and healthcare. AI is more than just a trend; it’s the future unfolding now.

As these technological advancements promise to transform healthcare and benefits, it’s crucial for tech companies to develop a framework guiding the adoption and use of AI. This ensures not only seamless integration into daily operations and tech stacks, but also provides essential support to all teams and employees. It’s about making the most of AI’s capabilities in a way that’s effective and ethically responsible.

We must acknowledge that rapid change is not only the new normal, but that it is only going to accelerate.

Empyrean understands this shift. We’re enhancing every interaction with intelligent technology, ensuring our clients and their people are supported by sophisticated AI.

We’re not replacing the human element; we’re amplifying it.

We believe AI’s true potential lies in its ability to augment human service, bringing a personal touch to technology.

At Empyrean, our commitment goes beyond technology – we’re dedicated to enhancing the human aspect of Human Resources with AI. We partner with our clients on their journey, constantly evolving our technology to create a future-ready business.

Personalization Beyond Prediction

Empyrean goes beyond using AI for decision-making and efficiency, our focus is to personalize the employee experience.

Our AI doesn’t just automate; it understands and adapts, providing a unique experience for each user, whether it’s an employee selecting benefits or an HR professional looking for insights.

At Empyrean, AI means personalized interaction at scale. Our AI listens and learns, tailoring each interaction to meet individual needs and preferences.

It’s not about replacing the human element—it’s about amplifying it.

Partnership Alongside Performance

While many technology platforms emphasize AI’s role in driving results, Empyrean sees AI as a collaborative partner. Our AI works alongside Empyrean team members and HR and Benefits teams, enhancing their skills and amplifying their efforts, without overshadowing the human expertise.

Empyrean’s AI is more than a tool for performance, it’s a collaborative partner in progress. It works with your team, providing insights and support that complement and enhance human capabilities, never replacing them.

Progression Ahead of Automation

In a market often focused on automation, Empyrean prioritizes AI’s role in fostering progressive learning and evolving intelligence. Our AI isn’t a static tool but a dynamic learner, continuously improving and pushing boundaries to keep our clients at the forefront of innovation.

With Empyrean, AI is about constant movement forward. Our technology is a beacon of progression, constantly advancing to not just keep pace, but setting the standard in benefits administration technology.


Empyrean’s AI in Action: Elevating Every Interaction

1. Enhanced Participant Experience

  • Personalized Support
    Through advanced API connections and our continued advancements in Learning and Language Modules (LLM), we provide support tailored to each individual, ensuring every digital or telephonic engagement is personalized. Our AI assistant knows each of your employees and can provide real and impactful support. Plus, our 24/7 AI assistant is always available, ensuring employees have the support when they need it.
  • Personalized Recommendations
    Precision Benefits is our AI-enabled technology that empowers your employees with personalized benefits recommendations fueled by their individual health data. It provides year-round guidance and personalized communications, helping employees make the most of their benefits for themselves and their loved ones.

2. Client Support Operations

  • Smart Assistance for HR
    Our 24/7 AI assistant guides HR administrators through our platform and provides training and support to access relevant insights and reports.
  • Streamlined Implementation
    AI-driven configurations ensure quick, precise platform setup, reducing the need for extended meetings and accelerating implementation, all tailored to client needs.

3. Internal Efficiency

With AI-enhanced support, our service team is equipped with tools to provide unmatched service. This means faster response times, more personalized assistance, and an overall smoother experience for our clients and their employees. Our AI-powered systems work constantly in the background, allowing our team to focus on what they do best – understanding an organization’s unique needs and delivering top-notch service.

  • Call Review
    We use AI to review 100% of service calls in real-time to ensure we are staying true to our Service First mission.
  • Auto-Generated Call Summary
    AI-generated case notes streamline our service operations, reducing wait times on calls.
  • Intelligent Listening
    Our AI-driven listening delivers faster, high-quality customer support.

4. Product Development Innovation

  • Quality at Speed
    AI assists in quality assurance, code stability, and security to bring our clients features that are not only advanced but reliable.
  • Forward-thinking Development
    Our AI-driven code generation accelerates innovation, keeping our clients ahead of the curve.
  • Cybersecurity
    AI-driven anomaly detection and behavioral analysis strengthen our cybersecurity, proactively identifying and mitigating threats.


Conclusion

At Empyrean, AI is the powerhouse behind our team, enhancing — not replacing — human expertise. It’s about support, not substitution.

AI sharpens our work, making the complex simple and the routine rapid.

We harness AI to fortify your decisions, elevate your operations, and enrich your workforce’s experience. Because in the business of benefits, it’s human insight paired with intelligent technology that creates enduring value.

At Empyrean, we bring together cutting-edge technology with a Service First approach. We understand that exceptional service and innovative technology go hand in hand.

It’s the balance that helps you foster a healthy and supportive workplace culture and connect your people to life-enriching benefits year-round.


About Katie Carroll

Katie Carroll is Empyrean’s Director of Product Marketing. She serves as the voice of our clients and their employees, bringing new technologies and services to market in ways that build workplace cultures, strengthen employer brands, and improve employee outcomes both in and outside of work.

With over 15 years of diverse industry experience, Katie’s consumer-focused background brings a unique perspective to redefine how people choose and use the best benefits available to them as individuals to support their daily lives.

Katie is a key contributor in driving Empyrean’s product strategies and messaging to help organizations deliver the personalized benefit journeys and people experiences needed to holistically support their employees and reach their company goals.

Empowering Your People to Make the Best of Their Benefits With Empyrean’s Plan Review 

Empowering Your People to Make the Best of Their Benefits With Empyrean’s Plan Review 

In today’s ever-evolving workplace, ensuring that employees understand and make the most of their benefits is crucial. Empyrean’s Plan Review, a key feature of Precision Benefits, empowers employees to make better benefit decisions based on how well their benefits performed last year. 

Plan Review allows companies to assess the effectiveness and value of their benefit programs and gauge the impact they have on employee satisfaction, engagement, and overall well-being. This helps organizations determine what benefits resonate the most with their unique workforce.

Precision Benefits ensures your team isn’t over-insured or under-insured, resulting in cost savings for both the company and employees. 

How it Works 

Empyrean’s Plan Review empowers employees with essential information about the performance of their benefits in the past year. Utilizing a vast database, the system provides feedback at the time of enrollment, enabling employees to save money and confidently explore new benefit options. This feature addresses a common gap in benefits management, as most people are unaware of how their benefits have truly served them in the past. With Empyrean’s Plan Review, employees gain a clearer understanding of how well their benefits suit their needs, enabling them to make better, more informed decisions for the future. 

Read How Plan Review Helped Amanda 

Amanda is a young and talented remote employee who works diligently from the comfort of her cozy home office. While she enjoys the flexibility of remote work, Amanda understands the importance of taking care of her health and well-being. 

Amanda values being proactive about her health choices, and Plan Review perfectly aligns with her approach. One of the key features she loves is the ability to regularly review her healthcare plans to ensure she is in the right one. 

With the help of Plan Review from Precision Benefits, Amanda gains access to detailed insights and personalized recommendations regarding her healthcare coverage. She can easily compare different plans, ensuring that her benefits meet her specific needs and preferences.

Watch this video to learn more about how Plan Review helped Amanda.    

Empyrean’s Plan Review is more than just a feature; it’s a comprehensive approach to managing and understanding employee benefits. By providing valuable insights into benefit plan performance and healthcare costs, it empowers employees to make informed decisions and plans for their health and financial futures. For employers, it offers a tool to continually adapt and enhance their benefits offerings, ensuring that they meet the needs of their evolving workforce.

Find out how you can empower your people to choose and use the best benefits with Empyrean’s Plan Review.

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity: Empyrean’s Resiliency Program

Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity: Empyrean’s Resiliency Program

As the risk of disruptions to business operations mounts in the face of severe weather, cybersecurity breaches, global pandemics, terrorism, and even war, many organizations have found themselves struggling to protect themselves from evolving threats.

Unfortunately, it is often not until businesses find themselves at immediate risk that they take action to prepare for the worst. As natural and human-made disasters continue to rise in both volume and severity, a proactive, formalized, and well-practiced approach to business continuity and disaster recovery has become even more critical.

At Empyrean, we’ve seen first-hand how crucial thoughtfully designed disaster recovery and business continuity programs are for corporate resiliency. Our headquarters is located in Houston, Texas, which has a climate prone to extreme weather events. Over the last few years, the Houston area has experienced severe natural disasters that have included hurricanes, flooding, extreme heat, power outages, and even freeze events.

But even through these states of emergency, we have had little to no disruption to our regular business operations. The redundancies, controls, technologies, and training we have provided to our teams have made us well-positioned to weather any type of storm – be it a hurricane, power crisis, or even a global pandemic.

Corporate Resiliency at Empyrean

Empyrean’s resiliency program is a framework of policies, procedures, and controls that are designed to protect our organization from a large range of threats, including those of natural, technological, biological, adversarial, incidental, or human-caused origin. 

Our commitment to corporate resiliency is a year-round, ongoing effort that allows us to comprehensively avoid or reduce the impact of these potential threats by predicting, preparing for, and practicing our response to crises.

Our standards and guidelines apply not only to Empyrean team members, but to contractors, sub-contractors, and their respective facilities supporting Empyrean business operations, wherever Empyrean data is stored or processed, including any third-party contracted by Empyrean to handle, process, transmit, store, or dispose of Empyrean data.

The strict framework we follow maintains Empyrean’s compliance with our SOC1, SOC2, and ISO 27001 requirements, and helps to ensure the integrity and availability of our critical systems. This type of protection and oversight is essential for maintaining the trust of our stakeholders, partners, and (most importantly) our clients and their employees.

Here are some of the key features of our own resiliency framework, which includes best practice standards that are key pillars for any business continuity and disaster recovery roadmap.

Business Impact Analysis (BIA)

A business impact analysis (BIA) predicts the consequences of a disruption to your business and gathers information needed to develop recovery strategies. Through this systematic process, organizations can evaluate the potential effects of an interruption to critical business operations resulting from a disaster or other emergency and explore vulnerabilities and potential threats.  

Our business impact analysis (BIA) is the core of our resiliency program and contains the key information and data we use to make decisions that pertain to our continuity, response, and recovery. Through this annual detailed analysis, we take action to guard against any identified vulnerabilities and develop plans to reduce any risks tied to the potential threat. Our BIAs also allow us to proactively prioritize all critical function areas based on their potential impact and likelihood of occurrence and implement or identify existing controls to mitigate downtime.

Some of the plans that we’ve built through our BIA include our Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery, Application Recovery, Technical Recovery, and Crisis Management Plans.

Training & Plan Execution

A plan is only as good as a team member’s ability to understand their role and respond in the event of a crisis. Our standard operating procedures (SOPs) provide detailed, step-by-step guidance to execute our response plans in a detailed, systematic, and effective manner.

Responding to a disaster or emergency event requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders and careful coordination to ensure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive company information. We carefully train our teams responsible for implementing controls, providing clear instructions, guidance, and training materials to ensure each team member understands how to execute a response plan should the need arise.

To do this, our SOPs include clearly defined roles, responsibilities, and redundancies. In addition to weekly meetings of our Resiliency and Crisis Management Teams, we conduct regular drills and practice exercises on an ongoing basis.

We also conduct an annual resiliency program review to assess the current state of our BIA and associated plans to ensure we consistently re-evaluate potential issues that could threaten Empyrean’s ongoing operations while addressing gaps and lessons learned from our ongoing exercises and/or actual real-life events.

Resiliency training is offered both as part of our annual compliance training and our ongoing quarterly response simulations. Through these training events, our team practices executing our SOPs, using our Mass / Emergency Notification System (M/ENS), and utilizing other tools incorporated into our disaster response programs. These drills also give us the opportunity to monitor controls to ensure they are functioning as intended.

Through this training, we provide our employees with valuable experience to ensure that any real-life events can be executed thoughtfully and in accordance with our resiliency planning. These exercises also help identify and evaluate potential gaps in our plans so that we can take the necessary steps to begin resolving and mitigating additional risks.

Internal Auditing & Corrective and Preventative Actions

In addition to our practical training programs, we also maintain strict processes for identifying and addressing nonconformities and areas for improvement identified through internal audits, management reviews, and other monitoring activities. These practices ensure that nonconformities are quickly corrected and that preventive actions are taken to prevent their recurrence.

These internal audits include the quarterly assessment of any changes to our business environment, shifts in tools and technologies used throughout the business, changes to regulations and standards, incidents and near-misses, and feedback from our key stakeholders.

If any nonconformities are identified through our team’s audits, we conduct a root cause analysis to identify the underlying cause(s), take swift correct actions based on our findings, put preventative actions in place to ensure the issue does not arise again, and then conduct careful monitoring to verify the effectiveness of measures taken.

Third-Party Auditing and Reviews

While we conduct internal audits on an ongoing basis, we also rely on annual third-party audits to review the overall effectiveness of our processes and related controls. Through these ongoing reviews, our third-party partners can identify potential areas for improvement and ensure that Empyrean remains compliant with or exceeds all required standards.

We also participate in annual third-party audits to maintain compliance with our SOC1/SOC2 and ISO 27001 certifications. Our annual SOC1/SOC2 audits and ISO 27001 surveillance review include an extensive examination of functions across a wide range of criteria to identify any gaps or non-conformance.

Empyrean also undergoes an intensive IS 270001 recertification audit every three years.

Continuous Improvement

Threats evolve at a rapid pace, so we maintain a process of continuous improvement to ensure all of our business continuity and disaster recovery programs remain effective and aligned with our strategic goals.

To do this, we maintain a strict schedule that includes:

  • Identifying opportunities for improvement that may include changes in the organization’s context, new or updated regulatory requirements, or changes in technology.
  • Evaluating (and re-evaluating) best practice standards, includingexternal benchmarking, industry standards, or guidance from professional associations.
  • Adopting new technologies in alignment with industry standards and our resiliency posture.
  • Implementing changes to procedures, tools, and ownership, including updating SOPs, controls, and any policies as needed.
  • Ongoing internal and external monitoring of the effectiveness of changes made as part of Empyrean’s continuous improvement process.

A strong corporate resiliency posture is critical in today’s business environment. While it may feel daunting to shift to a proactive approach, a thoughtful and well-tested business continuity and disaster recovery program will provide your organization’s stakeholders with the peace of mind and protection necessary to be successful.

Trust us, we’ve seen it firsthand.

We’re not Just Surviving, We’re Thriving. 


ABOUT RICK MILLER

Rick Miller is Empyrean’s Vice President, Information Technology and has been with Empyrean since 2010. Rick has overseen Empyrean infrastructure, security practice, and business continuity and disaster growth since joining the company. Rick continues to lead the organization’s security, BCP/DR, audit, and procurement practices.

Smart Choices Simplified: Discover AI-Powered Decision Support with Precision Benefits 

Smart Choices Simplified: Discover AI-Powered Decision Support with Precision Benefits 

The employee benefits ecosystem is evolving with the extension of artificial intelligence. In this digital age, generic one-size-fits-all solutions no longer suit the needs of employees and their families.  

Did you know that 72% of people say they wish they could get help selecting the best health insurance for their unique situation?  

That’s why we’ve meticulously crafted Precision Benefits to empower your workforce, fostering a sense of ownership and control over their health and financial futures. Our innovative solution goes beyond traditional benefits administration, providing your employees with AI-driven decision support, comprehensive plan reviews, and expense management insights.  

Continue reading to learn how Precision Benefits is powered by Empyrean’s AI-driven decision support tool.

How it Works 

At the heart of Precision Benefits lies Empyrean’s proprietary AI-driven algorithm, which functions as the engine for personalized recommendations. Empyrean’s decision support tool uses personal health data to help employees choose and use the best benefit options available to them.

Empyrean’s algorithm analyzes a person’s health data against a wide array of plan options, weighing costs and coverage details to produce recommendations that are unique to the needs of each employee. This personalized approach to benefits selection is not just about the initial enrollment; it’s about crafting a year-long experience of well-being and security. 

The AI-driven decision support tool that powers Precision Benefits works by creating a guided experience that is both quick and insightful. Employees are led through a series of questions designed to accurately assess their health needs and develop a personalized risk profile. This process is intuitive and efficient, ensuring that even those who are overwhelmed by the complexity of benefits enrollment find it understandable and accessible. 

Learn how Decision Support Helped Luis & Olivia 

These newlyweds just got some exciting news. They’re expecting a baby! 

Amidst their happiness, they know that this new phase of life also comes with responsibilities, including making informed decisions about their healthcare options. That’s why they turn to Precision Benefits and decision support for guidance.  

Precision Benefits’ decision support also helps Luis and Olivia understand the potential costs associated with medical services throughout their pregnancy and beyond. Armed with this knowledge, they proactively plan and budget their healthcare expenses, ensuring that they can comfortably accommodate the financial demands of having a baby.   

Watch this video to see how Decision Support helped Luis & Olivia.  

Empyrean’s Precision Benefits doesn’t stop at just providing personalized recommendations; it acts as a continuous support system for employees. By helping them select the right benefits at the right time, the platform ensures that employees and their loved ones are taken care of, without the stress and confusion that often accompanies benefits selection.  

People have saved an average of $1,880 per year when accepting personalized recommendations.  

This level of customization in benefits enrollment is not a luxury—it’s a necessity that employees have come to expect their employer to provide. Precision Benefits stands as a testament to Empyrean’s commitment to innovation, efficiency, and the well-being of employees everywhere. 

Don’t let your employees navigate the complexities of benefits enrollment alone. Find out how Precision Benefits can better support your people and connect them to life-enriching benefits year-round.  

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