Employee, Serve ThyselfEmployee, Serve Thyself

Human-resources consulting firm Towers Perrin has taken an equity stake in Authoria, a Waltham, Mass., self-service employee-benefits company that specializes in health care. Terms of the deal weren't disclosed.

Self-service human resources lets employees get information online on HR concerns such as salary and health benefits. HR firm Watson Wyatt lists self-service among the top 10 trends for 2002.

Authoria software lets employers and health-care insurance providers answer employees and customers via the Web, intranets, and call centers. Authoria CFO Bill Brown says the equity stake is "the natural next step" in Authoria's close working relationship with Towers Perrin.