Being a mother is something special, and here at Kimberly-Clark, this experience can be even happier. Today, we are honored to share thoughts and experiences from Milagros E., a member of our Talent Acquisition team in Latin America and who pioneered the expansion of our Working Moms program designed to bring mothers back into the workforce.

Check out this and much more in the interview below:

1. How did you get to know Kimberly-Clark and how was your process when you started working with us?

Milagros: In Peru, Kimberly-Clark is very well known. Since I was in college, I remember that everyone wanted to practice or work here. It was known to be an excellent place, with a spectacular work environment, and a lot of respect for people.

I had taken a break from work when my second son was born because I wanted to accompany both of my children in their early years. Then, when I wanted to return to work, few companies were open to meet people who had a gap in their cv without doing "nothing."

After several months considering and interviewing for a few roles that were not the perfect fit for me, a recruiter at Kimberly-Clark called me to tell me about a position in Talent Acquisition, a discipline I had always loved. I didn't hesitate and was very happy they considered me and even sought me out. I went through two interviews that showed me the quality of people Kimberly-Clark has and gave me the opportunity to join a wonderful company I am very committed to.

(Access our Careers Page here)

2. In the first months, how did you feel and how did the Working Moms program come about?

Milagros: Honestly the first months were not easy. I was very excited, I was the first to arrive at the office and I made the most of every onboarding meeting. However, two weeks later, the pandemic measures began, and no one could leave the house. All my energy had to be divided between the work that I had been waiting for so long, taking care of the house and being a teacher for my children – home schooling was new for everyone.

I was afraid of failing, not adapting and not keeping up with the organization. However, the support I received was impressive, the love, the constant feedback and all the tools I could need to speed up my learning curve. They always saw me as a person and not just another resource.

With this wonderful experience, I decided to build a program that, just as it was with me, gives women who sacrificed the opportunity to continue to grow professionally and re-enter the world of work while taking care of their children. That's how Working Moms was born.

3. On a day-to-day basis, how does Kimberly-Clark enable you to align your work and personal life demands like family, friends and your own needs?

Milagros: I am convinced that what I value most about Kimberly-Clark's culture is the flexibility it gives me and the permanent confidence I feel. My work is reflected with results and not with meeting a work schedule. This translates into being able to work from home whenever I want to, or at my mom's house, or in a cafe, or making calls from the car while I pick up my kids from a play date. I can get up from the computer to receive my children from school and talk with them about school. I feel present in their lives, and they are constantly in mine. I can have lunch with my husband almost every day and connect with him. If I logged out for an hour in the afternoon, I could pick up my work when my kids went to bed, and it doesn't bother me because I didn't waste time when they were awake.

Something that for me is also invaluable is the benefit of family Fridays in which we have a reduced schedule on Fridays throughout the year. This benefit is really respected, and I find it incredible that Kimberly-Clark is willing to give me 1/10 of my working hours and monthly salary so that I can allocate this time for myself, my family and well-being. I don't know of many companies that do this, and none like Kimberly-Clark.

4. How do you envision your future here at Kimberly-Clark?

Milagros: Growing with more regional and global roles. Get to know new cultures, styles and tools that help other people to do their job better. Today I am pregnant with my third child, and I believe that Kimberly-Clark impacted my decision to grow our family because it allowed me to see that there are worlds that can perfectly coexist and the well-being of one impacts the other. My future and that of my family is at Kimberly-Clark. I hope to continue here for many more years because I never stop feeling challenged with new projects, new roles, growth in my scope, and I am sure that this will continue to be the case.