Mums in Tech ft. Luisa Berta
As part of our ‘Mums in Tech’ series, we caught up with Luisa Berta, Senior Product Designer at Twinkl.
The purpose of our 'MotherBoard’ content series is to highlight incredible working mums within tech, as well as individuals and businesses that are supportive and progressive within their approach to creating more inclusive tech teams for women.
Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?
I am a Senior Product Designer at Twinkl. I just started here, but previously I worked in other B2C e-commerce Companies like ASOS and Beauty Pie.
If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?
One word comes to mind: juggle. You need to be organised. Especially if you want to enjoy it. Organising my days and my weeks has been the key for me.
“You need to be organised. Especially if you want to enjoy it. Organising my days and my weeks has been the key for me.”
How do you find the balance between your career and motherhood?
Connecting with other mothers and parents and sharing our struggles. I find there is great value in connecting with them for various reasons. It creates less shame around motherhood. Knowing that others struggle too makes your struggle more acceptable to bring to the table. And also it helps destigmatize wanting both a career and being a mother.
“Knowing that others struggle too makes your struggle more acceptable to bring to the table. And also it helps destigmatize wanting both a career and being a mother.”
What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?
I feel like I am not as good as a designer as I was before. Which on a logical level I know not being the truth. So I need to remind myself that the feedback I hear is the one I should listen to and not to my inner critic.
Knowing that there is still a place in the workplace even if your priorities differ from before is something not all Companies are able to convey. Feeling safe and valued as a working mother is not always easy.
What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?
I’ve become way more organised. I just had to. I also became way more vocal. Becoming a mother taught me that pushing myself out there is part of the game and where the game is actually more fun.
When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?
One thing I 100% appreciated was the space to pump milk. It was a room with a pass code, a relaxing chair, a fridge and sterilising kits. I used to bring my laptop in there and take meeting and design from there. It was a bit lonely at times, but it helped a lot with my breastfeeding journey.
What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?
Ensuring that supporting mothers is not seen as an obstacle or something that doesn’t concern everyone. Everyone should be concerned and supportive of it, and not see it as just an exercise of DE&I to tick off.
Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?
Reach out to other mums. You are not alone and your struggles are real and valid.
“Reach out to other mums. You are not alone and your struggles are real and valid.”
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