How HPE’s Paid Parental Leave Program Raises the Bar

This session spotlighted Samanntha DuBridge, Senior Vice President of Benefits, Culture, M&A, & People Care at Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), for a compelling conversation about building a modern, human-centered total rewards strategy. With oversight of HPE’s Culture, M&A, People Care, and Total Rewards, Samanntha offered a unique perspective on designing programs that are competitive, operationally sound, and deeply connected to employee wellbeing.

i4cp’s cohosts Mark Walker and Tom Stone unpacked HPE’s philosophy that total rewards must balance business performance with empathy, and that culture is a critical driver of M&A success. Samanntha showcased how HPE operationalizes care across the employee lifecycle—from onboarding to parental leave to retirement planning—while ensuring flexibility and equity at a global scale.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Total Rewards That Reflect Life’s Realities: Samanntha highlighted that competitiveness alone doesn’t define success; value, communication, and execution are just as critical. HPE’s “Work That Fits Your Life” program meets employees where they are with inclusive, adaptable benefits.
• Culture as the Cornerstone of M&A Success: Culture isn’t a soft concept—it’s the primary reason deals fail. Samanntha explained how culture integration is deliberately embedded in HPE’s M&A playbooks and leadership behaviors.
• Parental Leave as a Loyalty Driver: HPE’s standout 26-week fully paid parental leave program applies equally to all parents globally. Employees can split the leave into two blocks and work with their managers on phased returns, which builds deep loyalty and trust.
• Wellness Fridays & Holistic Wellbeing: HPE gives all employees four wellness-focused Fridays annually. The company also supports holistic wellbeing through pillars: physical, mental, financial, and community—responding to stressors that impact performance and retention.
• People Care: A One-Stop HR Support Model: HPE’s “People Care” concept simplifies access to HR by consolidating employee relations, ER investigations, labor relations, and service centers under one umbrella—fostering seamless employee support.

Resources Shared:

• i4cp’s latest insights on Navigating Market Uncertainty.

Be sure to register for future Next Practices Weekly sessions to stay ahead of these transformational trends. To ensure open discussion, Next Practices Weekly is exclusively for HR practitioners. Vendors and consultants are not permitted to attend.