Reducing the stigma: On starting a new job seven months pregnant

Most people don’t expect to start a new job a couple of months before welcoming a new baby but Coralie Rana did just that. As our new Head of Total Rewards, she dove right in – working to refine and improve our offering so our team members continue to feel supported and recognized. All while preparing for the imminent arrival of her second child. 

We were curious to hear what led her to take the leap and join Linktree, and what her experience has been like so far. 

 

When did you start working at Linktree?

At the beginning of March – I’m just over a month in now and loving it! 

You’re our first Head of Total Rewards. Can you share a bit about what that means? What does that encompass? 

Linktree has grown rapidly over a short period of time and we have already implemented some fantastic total rewards programs. Now it’s time for us to ensure that we have a holistic total rewards approach and philosophy so we remain competitive within the external market and continue to keep our employees motivated and engaged internally. That’s where my role comes in – I’ll be focused on reviewing how we remunerate our employees to ensure we are competitive, refining and if needed, adding to our already amazing benefits offerings, and designing how to best reward and recognize employee performance. 

What do you think makes our Total Rewards program unique?

Our people are wonderfully diverse and unique with differing needs, lives and lifestyles, and our Total Rewards programs celebrate this! We created a total rewards program that is inclusive, accommodating all employees at any point during their lives. I think our benefits offerings are incredible, particularly the parental leave, pregnancy loss leave and support, transpositive policies and support for domestic and family violence + sexual assault. I believe these offerings are key to ensuring our employees are well-supported and cared for, particularly during the times in their lives which can often be the most challenging. 

But I also can’t forget the amazing flex-benefits program! I love that our employees can choose how they want to spend money to optimize their wellness, grow as an individual, support their lifestyle and create a lasting impact on our world! It’s very rare to find an employer that provides its employees with a benefits program that allows flexibility to focus on what matters most in their lives. 

You’ve worked for a lot of big companies in your career. What inspired you to join a scale-up? 

For me it was being a part of growing a company and building its Total Rewards function from the ground up. And what better way to do that than at a hyper-growth company like Linktree, home-grown in Australia but growing globally! Linktree has already accomplished so much but there is also so much more that we can achieve and being a part of this journey truly excites me! 

You’re expecting your 2nd child in a couple of months. What was it like starting a new job in your 3rd trimester? 

Amazing! It was incredibly refreshing to see how the leadership team here at Linktree responded so positively to my pregnancy throughout the hiring process and when I began working here. The team has been extremely supportive and have worked with me to ensure I am able to succeed both in this role and at home as I prepare for the new arrival in our family! 

When telling people about this experience, many were surprised that a company was willing to take on someone 2 months out from giving birth. It’s a shame that you don’t hear as many of these stories or that there is still a stigma that prospective employers may not consider a pregnant woman. I’m so proud to be working for an employer that lives and breathes its values, ensuring that all individuals feel welcomed and supported to be their true selves! 

Is there anything that surprised you about your experience at Linktree so far? 

Starting a job remotely and working with remote teams sometimes isn’t easy; however, Linktree has made remote working a seamless experience from day 1. It’s been so easy to connect with new people virtually and feel like an immediate part of the team! 

What’s your favorite weekend activity? 

I love spending time with my family and friends, heading to the beach or trying a new restaurant.

Any Netflix/streaming guilty pleasures? 

I know it came out a while ago but my husband and I recently started Yellowstone and we are loving it! Also recently watched Shang-Chi, one of the Marvel movies, and would highly recommend it if you haven’t watched it already – it’s great!