PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Absence Radar™, a technology platform that ensures employers have critical information to plan, staff and manage productivity, has been awarded a United States patent. Developed by Matrix Absence Management, Absence Radar is a fixture on Reliance Standard integrated absence and employee benefits programs.
Leveraging an intuitive calendar interface and just-in-time notifications, Absence Radar provides Human Resource teams and department managers a detailed, current, at-a-glance view of paid and unpaid employee absence so they can make business-critical workforce decisions in real time.
“Our industry coined the phrase ‘absence management’ decades ago, but until recently that has really meant tracking employee absence while maintaining compliance with Federal and State regulations,” said Mark Marsters, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Reliance Standard, and president of Matrix Absence Management. “With Absence Radar, we’ve put 360-degree visibility directly into the line manager’s hands so they can staff, train and plan instead of just reacting. It’s unique technology and process, and we knew it was patent-worthy.”
With Absence Radar, employee absence data is permissioned based on each company’s unique organizational structure, so managers receive access only to their employees. They are notified of any new absence requests and any changes to existing absences, including scheduled, continuous and intermittent leave for FMLA, State paid and unpaid leave, company-sponsored leave and disability. Each notification also provides direct, one-click access to each employee’s claims examiner, as well as customized instructions to help facilitate the return to work process, including any restrictions.
“Our product development has always been driven by our clients’ feedback and their evolving business and HR challenges,” Gordon Smith, chief solutions officer for Matrix, said. “We were first in market with automated leave status notifications a decade ago, but we hadn’t yet gotten a fix on making the data usable and contextual. The fully integrated Absence Radar calendar is the game-changer. It puts all available data in front of the people who need it, in real time.”
The interactive Absence Radar calendar displays 12 consecutive months of absence data – past, present and five months into the future. It also shows employees returning to work from an approved leave, and callouts if the returning employee has a work restriction.
“We’ve received high marks from brokers, consultants and – most importantly – our clients since Absence Radar debuted in 2018,” said Tim Suchecki, national practice leader for Reliance Standard. “Radar was developed with specific and ongoing producer and client feedback, so adoption was streamlined compared to typical technology launches.”
“The most dynamic opportunity is that Absence Radar takes information and makes it actionable at the people-leader level, not just Operations or HR,” Suchecki said. “With the adoption of fully integrated HCM systems, and our ability to integrate with those behind the scenes, this isn’t an absence management tool so much as it is a strategic productivity tool.”
“Advances in access and customization and convenience across every business and consumer tech platform have significantly raised expectations across the board,” Gordon Smith observed. “People expect a comparable level of convenience and capabilities with any product or service they engage. Those expectations don’t change just because you are an insurance company.”
“That’s the challenge, but then again, that’s also the fun,” Smith noted.
Click here for a short video describing the Absence Radar experience. For more information, contact your Reliance Standard sales or account manager.
About Reliance Standard
Reliance Standard is a leader in absence and employee benefits solutions including financial protection, absence management and supplemental health, with a portfolio of insurance products that include disability, life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, dental, vision, medical stop loss and limited benefit medical. Reliance Standard markets these solutions nationwide through independent brokers and agents to employers of all sizes.
About Matrix Absence Management
Matrix Absence Management a leading third-party administrator (TPA) managing insured and self-insured absence, disability and workers’ compensation programs. Matrix focuses on improving workforce productivity through streamlined benefit delivery, simplified administration and client and customer driven technology.
Reliance Standard and Matrix Absence Management are members of the Tokio Marine Group. Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc., the ultimate holding company of the Tokio Marine Group, operates in the property and casualty insurance, reinsurance and life insurance sectors globally.
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