How OmniAb invests in high-quality internal customer service

OmniAb provides pharmaceutical industry partners access to diverse antibody repertoires and high-throughput screening technologies. More than 100 biopharmaceutical companies and research institutions worldwide rely on OmniAb to advance life-saving clinical drugs.

Behind OmniAb’s technology is a group of innovative, collaborative scientists, researchers, and support teams on a mission to improve global human health. “Our most valuable resource is our people,” said Kelly Numerov, Senior Manager, People at OmniAb.

“It’s ingrained in our culture to take excellent care of our employees.”

OmniAb regularly collects employee feedback and conducts benchmarking reports to make sure they’re continuously improving their benefits, which include: comprehensive healthcare, stock options, paid parental leave, and wellness and education reimbursements, among others.

“And of course we have Sparrow,” Numerov added. When OmniAb needed employee-facing and behind-the-scenes leave support, they chose to work with Sparrow.

The goal: A holistic leave management system

OmniAb wanted full-service employee leave management, which is why the people team implemented Sparrow just a few months after the company got started.

“Leaves are complex,” Numerov said. “If we managed them entirely in-house, we’d need a dedicated full-time resource, and employees would still have to handle parts of the process themselves. Partnering with Sparrow allows us to provide comprehensive, end-to-end support for employees, managers, and HR alike.”

"I'm so glad I'm able to tap into Sparrow's deep expertise."

Sparrow could provide administrative relief for the people team, payroll assistance, and one-on-one employee guidance.

“When we were building our infrastructure, we knew we needed amazing internal customer service,” added Numerov. “And being able to offer employees Sparrow as a resource is important to us.”

The solution: Work with an all-in-one leave management provider

OmniAb works with Sparrow for full-service employee leave management, from filing state paperwork to reconciling payroll. Instead of administering leaves manually and communicating individually with each employee taking leave, the people team can take advantage of Sparrow’s expertise and support.

When the OmniAb People team input an employee’s information into the Sparrow dashboard after they request a leave, Sparrow creates a custom leave plan for the employee, coordinates directly with them to request documents and apply for state benefits, and fills out paperwork on OmniAb’s behalf.

“Sparrow makes our lives much easier,” said Numerov. “I’m so glad I’m able to tap into Sparrow’s deep expertise.”

"California is one of the most complex states with regard to leave laws, so it's great that Sparrow helps us stay organized and provides support around leave compliance."

The Sparrow team has extensive knowledge of each state’s leave laws and paid leave programs, including California’s, where the bulk of OmniAb employees live. “California is one of the most complex with regard to leave laws, so it’s great that Sparrow helps us stay organized and provides support around leave compliance,” she said.

Numerov also appreciates the level of organization and automation Sparrow brings to leave management. “I really appreciate that we can access one centralized system to find all our documentation,” she added.

“I use the admin dashboard, and our managers have access to the manager dashboard, so they’re able to see what’s going on in terms of timing and leave updates for employees.”

The Sparrow dashboard shows a timeline overview of OmniAb’s current and upcoming company leaves, as well as detailed breakdowns of each employee’s individual leave plans. Plus, Sparrow keeps everyone in the loop with automatic email notifications and updates on document approvals, changes to leave dates, and expected payments.

"Everyone we've worked with at Sparrow is unbelievably kind. Leaves deal with sensitive things happening to people, so having a team who has that humanity is invaluable."

Facilitating a smooth employee leave experience

Some of the most important work Sparrow does for OmniAb is guiding employees through the process of requesting and taking a leave of absence. “We’re very invested in making sure everyone has a good leave experience, and Sparrow has provided that,” Numerov said.

Sparrow Leave Specialists work directly with OmniAb employees before, during, and after leave, serving as their steady point of contact. “They give our employees really clear instructions on what to do and handle most tasks for them, which our people really appreciate," Numerov added.

"OmniAb is very invested in making sure everyone has a good leave experience, and Sparrow has provided that."

The relationship kicks off with an intake phone call, where Sparrow Leave Specialists walk employees through each step of the process of preparing for leave, explain which benefits they’re entitled to, and answer questions.

After the initial chat, Sparrow files state benefits paperwork on employees’ behalf, then Sparrow Leave Specialists liaise with health insurance providers and state agency representatives to gather extra information or request status updates.

Their direct coordination with OmniAb employees saves everyone time and stress. “Sparrow’s guidance to our employees has been very helpful to them and to us,” said Numerov.

The result: Complete peace of mind with all things leave-related

"I can hand over leave to the Sparrow team and trust they've got it. I don't have to wonder if our employees are getting everything they need."

Beyond Sparrow’s help with the technical aspects of leave management, Numerov said her favorite part about partnering with Sparrow is the peace of mind they provide.

“I can hand over leave to a team I trust,” she explained. “I don’t have to wonder if our employees are getting everything they need.”

Plus, she said, the working relationship is wonderful. “Everyone we’ve worked with at Sparrow is unbelievably kind. Leaves deal with sensitive things happening to people, so having a team who has that humanity is invaluable.”

Sparrow is advanced software and compassionate customer service combined. Upgrade your leave management process with our comprehensive solutions. Curious to get started right away? Book a demo today.