When you do things from the heart, put yourself in the service of others, and have results, the term family-team means much more than a corporate concept. Today, we're introducing you to a successful case study: the #msgFamily program.
Back in 2021, when Lavinia Nicoară and Cristina Scridon had just become mothers and returned from maternity leave, a lot of questions such as arose:
"How to balance life as a working mom?"
"Will they have the luxury of some me time?"
"Will there be time for coffee with your team when your schedule is so tight?"
After a while, Lavinia and Cristina decided to look for the answers to those questions together with their colleagues who were in similar situations. Later on, they created a safe space where anyone, anytime, can take advantage of the things they've started to discover. That's how .msgFamily was born.
Becoming a parent? Welcome to .msgFamily!
Know that moment when you receive your Christmas party invite? For a parent who has freshly returned to work, it's mostly a short moment of panic and a difficult choice. .msgFamily was tailored to answer that kind of need: to support all colleagues in navigating through decisions and finding work-family balance.
.msgFamily team consists of seven volunteers who offer 1:1 to each parent who returns to work. This 1:1 is an informal talk about the double role of mother/father and employee. Those kinds of talks are organized occasionally depending on everyone's needs.
Furthermore, the company offers program gifts to all newborns and support across pregnancy to make the new parents feel like they belong to a community where people can understand their challenges and offer solutions.
A growing community
Overtime .msgFamily became an impressive community with about 200 parents and 300 children. They organize and meet for educational workshops on psychology, nutrition, and parenting. They also enjoy themed parties (Family Day, Christmas Kids Party), where children engage in fun activities and feel the joy of gift-receiving.
"My most beloved memory from .msgFamily is organizing the first Family Day event. We brought together over 250 parents and children in an amazing venue; we played, talked, and celebrated Children's Day. Along the way, I felt grateful to see how the community is growing and how much it matters to organize dedicated events." – remembers Lavinia Nicoară, one of this project's founders and mother of two girls.
Just in 2024, we had 337 colleagues from Cluj, Târgu Mureș, and Timișoara who attended four online sessions that touched topics on women's and men's health, emotional balance, and children's education, all of them crafted to support a good lifestyle.
Furthermore, to help parents find resources quickly .msgFamily created a special library for educational resources.
.msgFamily – a family for families
The support offered within the team crosses the borders of .msg Romania through many CSR actions. We mainly target vulnerable families with difficulty providing their children with daily needs and joyful moments. Through our Back to School campaigns, we ensure 200 children have their backpacks ready for school. Before Christmas, we are reading tens of Santa letters to make them come true for children in foster homes or poor communities.
"In 2023 and 2024, the children from Apuseni region and the ones from Bobâlna, showed me once again what innocence and sincere joy looks like. Their eyes filled with gratefulness while holding their gifts made me realize that a small gesture can mean everything to others. I feel grateful to be part of a project that now not only brings people together but creates memories that will stay here forever.", says Loredana Suciu, one of the most .msgFamily active members, mother of Ilinca, 8 years old.
Future Plans
In its 4 years, the project has constantly developed organically, with ideas coming from colleagues, whether or not they are parents. Times are changing, and you need to learn continually as a parent. For example, one of the most recent actions, the conference 4 Moms, helped those on the team understand how they can guide their children in the digital world and protect them from dangers, which was not even discussed until a few years ago.
Beyond the actual actions, msg Family is a statement about involvement, care, and empathy. Everything is designed to provide a state of well-being and solutions for moments when anyone needs to feel that they are not alone in the complicated role of parent.
Regardless at home or in the office, family matters!