Returning to work after maternity leave can be an overwhelming experience for new mothers. Balancing the demands of a professional career with the joys and challenges of motherhood requires a supportive environment. Recognizing this need, Tehila Peretz, HR Specialist for PayPal’s Global HBRP team initiated the Mothership Program at the PayPal Tel Aviv site.
In this Employee Spotlight, we spoke with both Tehila and Keren Vivante, Account Executive for the PayPal Emerging Markets team, and a Mothership program mentor, who shared their experiences and insight into the program.
Interviewer: Tehila, please tell us how you came up with the idea for this program.
Tehila: The Mothership program was created by me and Anna Livshitz after a forum held for mothers at work. The first round started in 2020, during Covid, and since then we had 3 rounds of mentors trained and accompanying mentees.
The idea was brought to life following a conversation I had with an employee who just returned from maternity leave. I asked her how she was and with a big smile she burst into tears. We went aside and she shared some of the difficulties she was having.
You come back from a long parental leave, and it feels like everyone expects you to be back and be the same as before, but you are not the same. A life-changing event has occurred and sometimes you need extra support.
Interviewer: How did you become a part of this program, Keren?
Keren: I endured a challenging journey to parenthood and when I heard about the Mothership program, I knew it was something I had to take part in. As a mentor, I’m able to share my personal experiences around pregnancy and motherhood and combine it with my knowledge about navigating the workplace during this transition.
As part of the Mothership program, we went through a mentorship training led by Yaara Ben Haim and then I was connected with my mentee. The amazing bond we created still lasts to this day. I was blessed to accompany her through her entire pregnancy and after. When we met for the first time in the office it was very touching for both of us.
Tehila: The mentors go through three mentoring training sessions with Yaara Ben Haim, who focuses on how to provide emotional support. After the training they are matched with their mentees. The period of mentorship changes according to the needs of every mentee.
Interviewer: Tell us a little bit more about your experience during the program?
Keren: Beyond the privilege to be there for someone in need, I feel I acquired tools for life from this program, empowering me beyond the mentorship program itself.
There are many elements around pregnancy and giving birth that are specific to the workplace, such as social rights, obligations, and financial decisions which are just a few of the different challenges that impact our work-life balance.
Through the work with my mentee, I learned a lot about myself, and I know that anyone who participated took something meaningful about herself out of it too.
Interviewer: Tehila, did you have any final thoughts you wanted to share about your experience?
Tehila: What touched me the most about this program was that a new type of conversation was opened in the office. It created a community of women who feel partnership and feel comfortable enough to share the challenges of motherhood without it being perceived as weakness. Following the program, a dedicated WhatsApp group was opened which we use for supporting each other, asking questions, and sharing the beautiful, fun, and challenging parts of parenthood.
Also, following the program in our Tel-Aviv site there is a lot of interest, both from other PayPal sites and other companies in implementing a similar program and I am always happy to connect and share my experience.
Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is vital for our well-being and productivity. The Mothership Program sparked from simple yet heartfelt conversation, has grown into a life-changing program for new working mothers. Through the power of empathy and community, we can all contribute to creating a supportive and inclusive work environment for mothers around the world.