Being a parent at Moskito
While it can always be tricky to balance work and family life, company policies that include hybrid work and lots of flexibility can help. We chatted with Ornella, Francesca, Jei, Silvia and Kyle to find out their little big secrets.
How did the months of pregnancy and maternity leave go?
ORNELLA: We often hear about people who are afraid that the employer might make a fuss, that there might be repercussions…. Here, that wasn’t the case! I wasn’t worried about a thing throughout my pregnancy and maternity leave because I could decide when to stop working and when to come back, with no pressure at all.
Plus, when I was pregnant we were still going to the office every day and didn’t have the kind of flexibility we have now. The nice thing is that they gave me extra time off so I could fit new-mom classes into my work schedule.
FRANCESCA: While working at Moskito I’ve had two very different experiences of pregnancy. During the first, I was going to the office every day. The second was after the hybrid work and flexibility policies had been established. The latter was definitely much easier to manage, thanks to working from home and flexible hours.
How did you experience the return to work? Were you worried that you had missed something or that you’d have to start again from scratch?
ORNELLA: I wasn’t worried about that either, because I knew that I’d not only find my job again, but also my role. So I picked up where I’d left off, without taking a step back. Of course, after a year off I found different teams and different people to interface with, but otherwise nothing changed!
FRANCESCA: Throughout my maternity leave I kept in touch with my Team Leader, Gaetano, who kept me updated on the most important news (and agency life!). Thus, I managed to maintain personal and work relationships with my colleagues, including the various company events they invited me to while I was still on leave. When I came back, I didn’t feel like I was out of the loop – I felt I was still perfectly part of Moskito.
JEI: I knew that I could always count on the support of my team, and this was key to experiencing maternity leave with peace of mind. It helped me plan my time and come back to work with enthusiasm. I was able to find my place again and create my new routine, at my own pace, with nothing added to worry about.
How do you balance work with raising kids?
KYLE: Our flexible hours let me really be there for my kids. I can go to their school performances and the Christmas market, walk them to school in the morning and take them to some sports practices in the afternoon. That way I don’t dump everything on my wife or on a babysitter, and I don’t miss out on those little, everyday moments that are so important between parents and kids.
On top of that, I often make use of the fact that we can work from abroad to work at my in-laws’ house in France, so the kids get to spend more time with their French grandparents.
SILVIA: When I came to Moskito years ago, I already had children and had established my own balance. So I asked for a part-time position so that I could better manage my family life, and they said yes without any problem. It’s a really valuable opportunity and one that I don’t take for granted. I think this is one of the reasons that Moskito is a great place to work. They’re open and flexible when it comes to the needs of the people they want to bring on board.
Part-time and flexible hours are the perfect match to help me cope with managing my two kids’ schools, sports and social lives. For example, I can go to parent-teacher conferences (which last 5 minutes but always take an hour) without having to take time off every time.
ORNELLA: The fact that I can work from home whenever I want and stay home with my daughter when she’s ill is really special. Plus, with flexible hours I can take her to school at 9 a.m. without having to sign her up for early arrival.
FRANCESCA: Anyone with young kids knows that it’s normal to visit the doctor’s at least once a week! Hybrid work and flexibility at Moskito means I don’t have to take time off and can really find family balance. As my husband works late, if I’ve succeeded in managing our kids without too many problems it’s thanks to these policies.
JEI: Hybrid work is great for everyone, but for a parent it’s a really good ally! Over the past few years, I’ve used it so much to balance work and family commitments with more flexibility. Plus, I really like to be home when my son comes home from school, so I can hear right away how his day went! Happiness is about those little things.
Thanks! Anything else you’d like to add?
ORNELLA: Among the various benefits Moskito gives us is health insurance. We have two, and each of them has so many benefits for new mothers: free gynecological examinations and blood tests, allowance for optional maternity days, and more.
FRANCESCA: With my Team Leader’s agreement I’ve occasionally brought my kids to the office (needless to say, the foosball table was a big hit with my son!). It’s a really nice freedom – I don’t know if it would have been so easy at other companies.
