|
|
Elizabeth Chappelear was just looking for a way out of an entry-level job and a long-term relationship. What she found was a new career.
It happened unexpectedly. The newly single mother dreaded the long and monotonous days she spent under the fluorescent lights of a sprawling and sterile corporate call center. The inescapable ennui compelled her to apply to many jobs in various industries, and she eventually received an offer to work as a benefits coordinator at a power generation company. “I didn’t know much about the job and what skills were required, but I saw it as a challenge I wanted to take on,” Chappelear says.
But it quickly became more than a challenge. For Chappelear, working in human resources—and especially with benefits—was personal. As the rookie benefits professional started her new career, she had an important epiphany that still guides her today as she serves as MilliporeSigma’s North American head of strategic benefits. “I looked back at my life and career and noticed I had never sat through an orientation about benefits that I actually understood,” she explains.
At that moment, Chappelear resolved to ensure she always communicated the sometimes difficult, complex, and intimidating information regarding benefits in a clear and concise way.
Chappelear’s beginnings were in utilities and higher education, and in 2017, she accepted a position with Tyson Foods, where she led the design and administration of health and welfare plans for a workforce of over one hundred thousand people.
The five years she spent at Tyson Foods showed Chappelear the true impact HR and benefits professionals can have within very large organizations. She helped negotiate collective bargaining agreements, launched several health clinics, created Tyson’s first expat health benefit plan, started its first paid parental leave program, and made plan design changes that saved the organization more than $4 million.
“Working for a big company was endlessly rewarding,” Chappelear says. “I started to see more clearly how those in my position can help a company and its employees achieve their goals at the same time.” As Tyson’s 120,000 domestic employees together speak more than 50 languages, the experience also demonstrated for Chappelear both the power of diversity and the importance of culturally appropriate communication.
“You can’t help and support your employees if you don’t take their thoughts and concerns seriously.”
Elizabeth Chappelear
She brought these lessons to MilliporeSigma in 2022, an organization that drew Chappelear in with its longevity, leadership, and culture. The life sciences company’s unusual internal structure has also provided her the ability to approach her role uniquely.
While many organizations lump benefits strategy and benefits operations together, MilliporeSigma has separated the two with Chappelear taking the reins of the strategic side. The move is designed to ensure all offerings are optimized and catered to the organization and individual to maximize their impact.
“We were growing as a company and wanted to prioritize strategy more,” she explains. “With one person looking at strategy, we can more easily identify what gaps we have and where we need to course correct to build something really powerful and meaningful for our employees.”
For Chappelear, the vision is simple: she’s looking to create a benefits package that employees can use to “navigate the challenges that life presents to them.” Additionally, she says the plan should be both easy to understand and hassle-free to use. Since most employees don’t study benefits until an urgent need arises, she’s focused on providing comprehensive resources and solutions that support diverse individuals at various stages of life.
Today, MilliporeSigma has about fourteen thousand multigenerational employees spread out across almost all parts of the United States. The company employs a mix of unskilled and skilled laborers, each with a different set of needs. When it comes to crafting plans, Chappelear believes active listening is key. “You can’t help and support your employees if you don’t take their thoughts and concerns seriously,” she explains. “And you must also be willing to take reasonable steps to make real improvements based on their input.”
Early results are demonstrating the power of Chappelear’s philosophy in action. She’s reduced the amount of vendor relationships to bring more than $3 million in savings, collected valuable benefits data to empower future decisions, collaborated with internal teams to improve benefits communication, launched a new careers portal to attract new talent, and deployed an annual $400 million benefits budget to bring new features, including a co-pay assistance program. Lastly, Chappelear’s team has introduced new women’s health features and extended caregiver leave by five weeks.
As she enters her third year on the job, Chappelear is looking to expand benefits options in a thoughtful way. Her strategic approach to benefits—one rooted in connection and communication—stems from her own journey. The HR leader has never lost sight of her days as an entry-level call center employee, and she remains committed to ensuring that every plan benefits all employees, from those in the call center to those in the boardroom, and everyone in between.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts:
“Elizabeth is very forward-thinking in her offerings, especially when it comes to women’s health and family support options that help members throughout their different life stages. We are proud to work with her and the entire MilliporeSigma team to guide their employees to the exceptional health care they deserve.”
–Michelle Fatsi, vice president of national and major accounts
