Like millions of people around the world, Laura W. and Lisa B., content designers at Meta, have two full-time jobs. In addition to the work they do at the company, they’re also parents. “Parenting is like breathing,” says Lisa. “It doesn’t just turn off when I’m working. I’m a parent 100 percent of the time.”
For both Laura and Lisa, their careers play an important role in their lives as parents. As the mother of two daughters, Laura feels a strong responsibility to set an example for them. “My second daughter was born with a rare chromosome disorder that affects her in a number of ways,” she shares. “When she was born, I thought I would never be able to work again, but I slowly got back into freelancing before transitioning to my full-time job at Meta. For me, parenting has never been about sacrificing my career. It’s incredibly important to me that my daughters know they can work and achieve what they want, no matter what happens in life, with or without kids.”
For Lisa, working at Meta gives her the opportunity to continue growing in her career while having the trust and flexibility to be there for her kids. “I have two boys. My oldest son has high-functioning autism, and my younger son also has special needs,” Lisa explains. “Finding a good balance between work and family life can be difficult for anyone, but having kids with special needs definitely comes with some unique challenges. Knowing that I can step away from work when I need to be there for my family, and that my team totally trusts me to balance these demands with my work, is really invaluable to me."
Lisa B., enjoying time with her two children on swings.
Having worked at Meta for over two years, we spoke with Laura and Lisa about how the company creates an environment where working parents can thrive. Ultimately, they attribute it to a few key aspects of the company’s culture.
1. Creating an environment of authenticity and empathy
For Laura, the culture of empathy and authenticity can be summed up by her experience visiting the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park for orientation. This is also how she found her sense of community. “Meta held a session that really struck me during my orientation,” Laura remembers. “We were asked to break up into groups and share our experiences of how Meta’s different technologies have impacted us personally. For me, that story is deeply personal.”
Laura W., enjoying time with her two daughters, ages nine and six.
“There are only 200 people in the world who have my daughter’s condition,” Laura explains. “And the way we found out about it was through the Facebook app. We discovered a support group and the only doctor in the world who specializes in her condition on Facebook. It was a lifeline for our family. When I shared this story with my group at orientation, they encouraged me to share it with the whole auditorium of 400 people. When I did, I was overwhelmed by the support. People were coming up to me, hugging me and thanking me—there was no sense of judgement. In the past, I’ve been denied opportunities after disclosing that I was the mother of a child with special needs, but here, I had no sense that this was a detriment to my career. When Meta says bring your authentic self to work, they really mean it.”
2. Providing spaces for people to step away from work and explore their passions
Beyond traditional support, Meta’s focus on providing opportunities for team members to take a break and explore new activities offers a creative outlet for Lisa. “One of the things I really enjoy about the culture here is the amount of resources available for you to explore your interests,” Lisa says. “I’m part of resource groups here at Meta for skateboarders, art enthusiasts in London and an autism support group. There is also this incredible space called the Meta Open Arts, which is essentially a creative playground for team members to get away from our desks and make things, like printing risograph posters, publishing fanzines or learning to make jewelry.
When you read about all these tech company perks, it can sound excessive and like a cliché. But for me, I spend so much of my time and energy taking care of my family that it's really a great feeling to work for a company that is also taking care of me.”
3. Cultivating trust from day one
Perhaps the most valuable thing for both Lisa and Laura is the inherent trust that was instilled in them right from the start. “When I was interviewing, I wanted to negotiate the flexibility to pick up my kids from school sometimes, or be more available to them during the week,” Lisa shares. “The recruiter said, ‘you don’t need to negotiate that as part of your package—it’s part of our culture.’ I have never felt guilty or gotten a sense from my team that they don’t trust I’ll get my work done. People get it, and are super supportive.”
Laura adds, “When I first started at Meta, I told my manager right away that I have a child at home with special needs. Her response caught me by surprise. She said, ‘You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. If you ever need support, you’ll need to ask for it, but I don’t always need to know why.’”
Whether it’s through supportive activities that build community, developing a culture of authenticity or creating a foundation of trust, at Meta, we make sure we’re creating an environment that fosters growth not only for working parents, but also their families.