COVID-19 Update: The Latest on How Empyrean is Keeping Our Clients Connected and Our Employees Safe

By Rich Wolfe, Chief Executive Officer

As many states begin relaxing stay-at-home orders and businesses prepare to reopen, Empyrean remains focused on helping our clients and participants navigate the latest impacts to their benefits while keeping our employees protected.

HR teams all across the country are grappling with the sudden changes and uncertainty brought on by COVID-19. At Empyrean, we recognize the difficult challenges and decisions you are facing regarding your workforce and business – and as always, we’re here to help.

Right now, the dependability of your benefits administration partner is the last thing you should have to worry about. The accuracy of your benefits data and the quality of your service cannot be compromised, especially now. That’s why our Empyrean team is working to ensure your solution and services continue performing as expected – without interruption – every single day.

From managing workforce reductions, special open enrollment periods, and the most recent compliance updates, to making sure your employees have access to the most up-to-date benefits information – Empyrean is here to support you every step of the way.

And like you, we know that our people are what truly drive our success. That’s why the wellbeing of our employees and their families has remained our top priority as we plan for the months ahead. With our employees’ safety in mind, Empyrean will continue our company-wide remote work policy through at least June 30, 2020.

Our leadership and crisis management teams are carefully monitoring the latest developments around COVID-19, and may extend this policy as the situation evolves. Each of our locations will also conduct a phased re-entry once it is deemed safe for employees to return to the office.

While the majority of our workforce remains at home, Empyrean’s facilities continue to be monitored and kept secure 24/7/365. As part of our robust business continuity planning, all Empyrean teams are 100% virtually enabled and laptop deployed. This preparedness allowed Empyrean employees to immediately transition to working remotely, while other vendors struggled to make the switch.

Today, all Empyrean services remain up and running with full capabilities, and we are pleased to announce that there have been no service interruptions for our clients due to COVID-19. We continue to welcome new clients onto the Empyrean Platform, and to help our current clients adapt to the many changes they are facing during this crisis.

Empyrean is working closely with our clients and partners to assist with creative solutions to support employers’ rapidly evolving needs. We are also transitioning new customers onto the Empyrean Platform via our fully virtual implementation and testing processes. Meanwhile, our in-house compliance experts are keeping a close eye on the latest updates to benefits compliance regulations and best practices as we navigate this new environment.

During these difficult times, it has been truly inspiring to witness the resilience and dedication of those in our community. I continue to hear from our customers, who are sharing stories of how they are overcoming their toughest obstacles with the help of our team. We are immensely proud of everything we have accomplished together, even while apart. I look forward to celebrating these successes in person when we are able to safely gather once more.

I want to again express my appreciation for all who are working to make this new normal a little easier for everyone – including health care workers, essential employees, and employees and their families at home nationwide. While the current situation has challenged us, the strength and support of those around us continue to inspire hope for the future.

And as always, Empyrean is here to help guide you through the every change surrounding COVID-19 and your employee benefits. Please reach to your client service team directly or contact us at info@goempyrean.com if we can be of assistance at any time.

On behalf of all of us at Empyrean, I hope you and your loved ones remain safe and healthy. Thank you for the invaluable work you are doing every day to keep your employees protected and your company moving in the right direction.

COVID-19 Update: Empyrean is Committed to Supporting the HR Community

By Rich Wolfe, Chief Executive Officer

In just a few short weeks, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected countless lives and businesses. Now more than ever, you need a partner that you can rely on, and your employees need access to benefits support they can trust. Learn what the Empyrean Team is doing to keep your participants connected to their benefits during this crucial time.

Everyday life has undergone a major shift in the past few weeks, and there’s no doubt that this is an anxious time for many. People are concerned about their health and mental wellbeing, their families, their finances, and more. Meanwhile, many employees (quite possibly yourself included) are learning how to balance the demands of working remotely while caring for children and loved ones at home.

There’s a lot of uncertainty right now – but as an Empyrean client, you can be certain that your benefits administration is taken care of, no matter what.

From transitioning to a remote workforce to restructuring your organization, Human Resources and benefits professionals are facing some of the toughest challenges of their careers. There is no time to deal with solution failings, service interruptions, or data errors. We understand, and we’re here to help.

You count on Empyrean to be there for you and your employees, and our team takes that responsibility seriously. That’s why we’ve taken steps to ensure you never experience a drop in service due to a major disaster, emergency, or other unforeseen event – including the evolving situation surrounding COVID-19.

At Empyrean, business continuity is more than an action plan – it’s our promise to you. We’ve continuously invested in our infrastructure to quickly adapt to sudden changes or emergency situations whenever necessary, including leveraging remote work and service capabilities.

Empyrean recently implemented a remote work policy, which protects the health of our employees and their families while ensuring that your solution capabilities and service quality remain unchanged. Empyrean Team members are now utilizing secure technology to work from home where possible, and they retain access to all of the tools and resources they would have while in the office.

All Empyrean implementation and ongoing teams are trained and prepared to provide 100% of our services to all of our clients while working remotely. Your administrative services, participant services, and account team will all remain the same during this time.

To protect those employees who are essential to our on-site operations, we are also utilizing medical-grade sanitizers and enhanced cleaning practices at each of our three offices. Empyrean’s facilities continue to be maintained, monitored, and kept secure 24/7.

While the impacts of COVID-19 are unprecedented, you can trust that Empyrean is uniquely prepared to meet your needs as this situation unfolds. After Hurricane Harvey brought historic flooding to the Greater Houston area in 2017, our Empyrean Team proudly continued to support daily service, numerous implementations, and Annual Enrollment for our clients without interruption. Today, Empyrean continues to deliver on our commitment to bring certainty to you and your participants during this uncertain time.

Being able to confidently rely on your people and partnerships is so important, especially now. On behalf of all of us at Empyrean, we are thankful to be a trusted part of the HR community.

As people continue to practice social distancing, it’s crucial that you have the time to care for your people across those long distances. Empyrean is working to quiet the noise of benefits administration, so you can focus on what matters most. That is what our mission at Empyrean is all about, today and every day.

While this global pandemic may have brought about unexpected challenges for your business and employees, you can feel secure that Empyrean has your back every step of the way.

We’re here to help you get through this, together, and we’ll emerge on the other side of this crisis stronger than ever.

If our team can be of assistance to you in any way during this time, please let us know by reaching out to your Empyrean Client Service Manager, or feel free to contact our team at info@goempyrean.com.

COVID-19 Update: Empyrean Response to the Novel Coronavirus

Empyrean is committed to ensuring the health and safety of our customers, participants, and colleagues as officials and organizations work together to contain the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. Here are the latest details you need to know.

COVID-19 has prompted an unprecedented time for companies, employees, and their families nationwide. With many questions surrounding this fast-moving health concern, participants need access to reliable and accurate benefits information now more than ever.

As always, the Empyrean Team is dedicated to connecting employees to their benefits every day – whenever and wherever they need it – especially as the situation around COVID-19 continues to evolve.

Empyrean Business Continuity Plans

Empyrean is fully equipped to continue serving our clients and their participants during any major event or natural disaster, including the current coronavirus pandemic. Our technology infrastructure and business continuity plans have been thoroughly tested, proven, and maintained to ensure your service will continue without interruption during this critical time.

Empyrean client service teams are providing regular updates to our clients and working with our employees and partners as this situation develops. Should you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your Client Service Manager for assistance.

Protecting our employees and their families remains a central priority for our entire team. As part of Empyrean’s robust continuity preparedness, we continuously maintain the technological and operational flexibility to enable secure and remote service across our entire workforce.

2020 Empyrean Client Conference – Webinar Series

Out of an abundance of caution, the 2020 Empyrean Client Conference will move from a traditional conference format into a weekly webinar series. The webinar series is scheduled to begin in April, with dates to be announced soon. This formatting change was made to protect our attendees and staff and aid in social distancing efforts, while continuing to bring thought-provoking speakers and actionable insights to our community.

We look forward to delivering valuable information during these webinars, and to hosting a safe and successful live conference next year.

Empyrean is doing our part to prevent the spread of the virus, and we are committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of our participants, clients and partners, and community during this difficult time. Our team continues to closely monitor the situation and is ready to respond appropriately as new information becomes available.

Empyrean Named One of 30 Great Companies to Explore ASAP

Empyrean has been named one of 30 exceptional companies for job seekers.

The list of employers was curated by The Muse, a leading website for job opportunities and professional advice. Empyrean was the only benefits administration company to make the nationwide list, which includes other top organizations such as Dropbox and TripAdvisor. Companies were selected based on their positive company culture, work policies, and employee feedback.

Empyrean helps Human Resources teams drive their employee benefit programs and make benefits matter every day. As a best-in-class provider of benefits administration technology, benefits enrollment solutions, and related services, Empyrean is committed to fostering a strong culture, unique workplace, and work-life balance for our employees.

Empyrean team members are benefit professionals who are motivated to succeed at every stage of their career. Benefits include competitive compensation, medical insurance, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, paid time off, in-office perks, and more.

Learn more about what a career at Empyrean can offer you. To see the full list of companies, visit The Muse here.

Empyrean CEO Rich Wolfe Named 2019 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist

This marks the fifth consecutive year that Empyrean’s CEO and Co-Founder has received this prestigious honor.

Over nearly 12 years, Rich Wolfe has grown Empyrean to serve over 3 million participants across more than 400 clients, with tens of millions of visits to its online solutions. Today, the benefits administration technology firm serves all major industries, including energy, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, education, and professional services – across a wide spectrum of client sizes and complexity levels.

Mr. Wolfe’s company has experienced year-over-year record growth in new business and client retention since the company’s founding in 2006. Empyrean has been named one of the fastest growing businesses in the Greater Houston area for the past three years, and has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list for six consecutive years. In 2018, Mr. Wolfe was named one of the most admired CEOs in Houston.  As a 2019 Entrepreneur of the Year finalist, Mr. Wolfe earns yet another distinction for his work connecting benefits and enriching lives through technology and service.

In its 33^rd year, the EY Entrepreneur of the Year recognizes entrepreneurs who excel in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities. Finalists are selected by a panel of independent judges. Winners will be announced at a special gala event at the Marriot Marquis Houston on June 21, 2019.

Empyrean Named to the Inc. 5000 List for the Sixth Year in a Row

Empyrean has been recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America for the sixth consecutive year.

Empyrean Ranks on the HBJ Fast 100 List and is Named an Enterprise Champion Finalist

2018 marks Empyrean’s third consecutive year on the Houston Business Journal’s list of the 100 fastest growing private businesses in the Greater Houston area. Empyrean has also been honored as an Enterprise Champion finalist.

Rich Wolfe Wins the Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEO Award

Rich Wolfe has been selected as one of the leading CEOs in Houston by the Houston Business Journal.

Empyrean CEO Rich Wolfe Named a 2018 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist

The 2018 award marks the fourth year in a row that Empyrean’s CEO and Co-Founder has been the recipient of EY’s prestigious honor.

Empyrean Wins Three Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service

Empyrean won awards in three categories of the 12^th Annual Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. This is the company’s first year participating in the competition, which drew over 2,500 nominations from businesses and industries around the world.

Empyrean Named a Stevie Awards Finalist

Empyrean is proud to be recognized as a finalist in three categories of the 2018 Stevie Awards for Sales and Customer Service.

Houston Business Journal Highlights Empyrean’s New Houston Office

The Houston Business Journal has spotlighted Empyrean’s new headquarters in a recent article.

Empyrean Ranked as a Top Houston-Area Software Developer for the Second Year in a Row

The Houston Business Journal has named Empyrean as one of Houston’s largest business-to-business software developers for the second year in a row.