It’s easier for software engineers to excel in their roles when they have time to bond with their families.
Don’t believe us? Just ask Jordan Raleigh, an applied AI engineer at Zapier. Since joining the company, he has also been able to prioritize his personal life by taking paid paternity leave and leveraging the company’s family-forming benefits, all while growing as an engineer through coaching and internal promotions.
“All of these policies and perks add up to an environment where I feel genuinely supported both in my work and in my personal life,” he said.
At iManage, Senior Software Engineer Shakur Smith and his teammates benefit from a similarly supportive culture. During work-from-home days, they are trusted to manage their own time while keeping their teammates informed through daily sync-ups and async updates, making it easy to juggle personal responsibilities with day-to-day tasks.
“There’s a strong sense of autonomy and accountability,” Smith said.
Below, Raleigh, Smith and three other engineering professionals share how their teams prioritize work-life balance and the impact this has on them.
Mastercard is a global payments company dedicated to making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible.
How do leaders or managers at Mastercard show that they prioritize employee well-being? What policies or perks are in place that allow you to take time off, pursue your passions or focus on your mental health?
I have been at Mastercard for over a decade, and I have consistently seen managers and leadership prioritize employee well-being. In addition to a generous vacation policy, Mastercard has great perks that allow for the pursuit of passion, continued education and mental and physical health. These include “Work from Elsewhere” weeks, where employees can work from anywhere in the world for up to four weeks every year; five paid volunteer days every year to give back to causes you care about; companywide meeting-free days, which help us reclaim time for deep work or personal priorities; free counseling sessions and mental health programs to reduce stress and avoid burnout; and educational reimbursement opportunities through tuition reimbursement and funding for certifications.
How has this impacted your life?
During my time at Mastercard, I have been fortunate enough to have the flexibility to pursue four industry cybersecurity certifications and a part-time master’s degree. This is thanks to the flexibility and educational reimbursement policy that Mastercard provides. Managers foster a culture of continued learning and flexibility, encouraging employees to grow professionally. Mastercard’s “Work from Elsewhere” days have also allowed me to spend more time with family and friends living in other states.
“Managers foster a culture of continued learning and flexibility, encouraging employees to grow professionally.”
What do these policies or actions say about Mastercard and the company culture as a whole?
Mastercard is a great place to work. The culture makes people want to stay. When you are with a group of Mastercard employees and you ask them how long they’ve been with the company, it is not uncommon to hear responses such as five, 10, 15 or even more than 20 years. People feel appreciated, recognized and find value in the work they do.
Zapier’s AI orchestration platform is designed to enable companies to automate advanced workflows and build AI agents and chatbots.
How do leaders or managers at Zapier show that they prioritize employee well-being? What policies or perks are in place that allow you to take time off, pursue your passions or focus on your mental health?
Coming from a past career in finance, I can confidently say that Zapier prioritizes employee well-being in a way that feels completely different from what I was used to before. One of the biggest examples is our flexible time off policy, where managers default to approving requests and there is no need to justify time off. This makes it easy to step away and recharge whenever I start to feel burned out. Zapier also provides access to Wellness Coach, which offers personal sessions with therapists and coaches. I have been able to work with a coach for a few years, and it has had a lasting impact on my mental health and personal growth.
On the family side, Zapier provides 14 weeks of paid paternity leave, which I just used after the birth of my son, as well as family-forming benefits that directly made it possible for us to start our family. Beyond that, the remote-first culture removes the stress of commuting while letting me cook my own meals, take breaks with my wife and baby, and maintain a healthier balance overall. All of these policies and perks add up to an environment where I feel genuinely supported both in my work and in my personal life.
“The remote-first culture removes the stress of commuting while letting me cook my own meals, take breaks with my wife and baby, and maintain a healthier balance overall.”
How has this impacted your life?
The biggest impact Zapier has had on my life has been supporting my dream of becoming an engineer. When I first joined the company after leaving finance, I started in a support role with the goal of eventually moving into engineering. Zapier had a program for internal mobility that gave me the opportunity to ramp up, learn and make that transition. From there, I was able to grow steadily in my career, moving from entry-level engineer to now an AI engineer. Throughout that journey, I have felt consistent support from my managers and teammates, both through formal programs and through a culture that truly encourages internal growth. That kind of backing has been transformative not only in helping me realize a personal dream but also in building a career I am proud of.
What do these policies or actions say about Zapier and the company culture as a whole?
To me, these policies and actions show that Zapier genuinely cares about its employees. It comes through not only in the formal benefits and perks the company provides but also in the kind of managers and leaders it hires. The culture runs deep, and I have personally benefited from it in every area, from career growth and professional development to personal well-being and family life. All together, these choices reflect a company culture that is thoughtful, supportive and truly people-first.
iManage offers an AI-powered knowledge work platform, which is designed to enable organizations to find and activate the knowledge that exists within their business content and communications.
How do leaders or managers at iManage show that they prioritize employee well-being? What policies or perks are in place that allow you to take time off, pursue your passions or focus on your mental health?
At iManage, well-being feels like culture, not just policy. Our flexible time off policy, called iMAway, really embodies that. It’s not “unlimited PTO;” it’s about trusting employees to balance getting work done with taking care of life outside of work. There’s a strong sense of autonomy and accountability. For example, on work-from-home days, we manage our own time but keep our teams in the loop through daily standups or async updates if we can’t attend. Leaders genuinely trust us to self-manage, while still expecting transparency and ownership. As an engineer, I share what I’ve completed, any blockers and what to expect when I’m back, so projects move forward smoothly without micromanagement.
How has this impacted your life?
This culture has had a huge impact. Day to day, the flexibility means I can prioritize mental health or personal needs without stress. If I finish my work early or need to go to a doctor’s appointment, my team supports it — no guilt, no pushback. Even with return-to-office expectations, it’s about trust, not policing small things like being late or leaving early.
“If I finish my work early or need to go to a doctor’s appointment, my team supports it — no guilt, no pushback.”
Another impact is on big life events. This year I got engaged, planned an engagement party and moved in with my fiancé. In past jobs, I’d hesitate to ask for that time off, worried it might hurt me later. Here, my managers encouraged me to fully enjoy it. When I returned, they wanted to hear about it, see photos and celebrate with me. That support made me feel seen both as a professional and as a person.
What do these policies or actions say about iManage and the company culture as a whole?
It shows that leadership genuinely cares about people, not just productivity. Support doesn’t stop at my direct manager; it’s consistent from top to bottom. I feel comfortable sharing personal needs and life updates without hesitation, because I know they’ll be met with empathy. That builds real trust. If my leaders support me this way, I’m confident they’re supporting others across the company, too. The culture isn’t about strict rules — it’s about people first, and the trust flows upward and across the organization.
Runpod’s all-in-one cloud platform is designed to help teams more easily build and deploy AI models.
How do leaders or managers at Runpod show that they prioritize employee well-being? What policies or perks are in place that allow you to take time off, pursue your passions or focus on your mental health?
We have a flexible, unlimited PTO policy that empowers us to recharge without guilt, supported by a culture of trust and accountability. Runpod has experimented with new initiatives, like piloting “Summer Fridays,” where we collectively logged off early every other week to make the most of the season. As a remote-first company, we also have the option to gather in regional offices, like Industrious in Seattle, that Runpod sponsors, giving us space to connect without enforcing an in-person mandate. Runpod invests directly in us, too: Every employee receives a $500 yearly stipend for education and training and $300 for health and wellness.
How has this impacted your life?
Early on, I was supported in taking time off for my wedding just months after joining, which allowed me to fully unplug and focus on celebrating with family. I’ve also used the education stipend to enroll in a visual thinking workshop, something not directly tied to programming but invaluable for my work as an engineer. Visual thinking helps me distill complex architectures into clear, shareable visuals, making it easier to process, understand and communicate ideas. Being encouraged to pursue something personally meaningful yet professionally relevant reinforced that Runpod values growth in all its forms, not just job-specific training.
“Being encouraged to pursue something personally meaningful yet professionally relevant reinforced that Runpod values growth in all its forms, not just job-specific training.”
What do these policies or actions say about Runpod and the company culture as a whole?
Runpod’s culture is built on valuing people as whole individuals, not just employees. One of the most unique parts of our culture is that we have a dedicated Culture Champion, Ty, whose role is to strengthen connection and creativity across the company. Each week, he curates a Spotify playlist featuring picks from different employees, giving everyone a chance to share a bit of themselves. Ty also happens to be a master at producing musical performances and has even worked on performances during our all-hands meetings featuring Zhen, our CEO, who’s been taking vocal lessons. It’s moments like these, where creativity and vulnerability are celebrated, that make Runpod’s culture feel authentic, connected and fun.
EZ Texting’s platform is designed to enable small- and medium-sized businesses to reap the benefits of text message marketing.
How do leaders or managers at EZ Texting show that they prioritize employee well-being? What policies or perks are in place that allow you to take time off, pursue your passions or focus on your mental health?
EZ Texting truly walks the talk on employee well-being. Flexible PTO, reminders that it’s OK to need mental health days, and a fully remote culture let me balance life and work in a way that feels sustainable. Even in meetings, leaders normalize life’s interruptions — kids, pets, you name it — which makes the whole environment feel supportive and, most importantly, human.
“Flexible PTO, reminders that it’s OK to need mental health days, and a fully remote culture let me balance life and work in a way that feels sustainable.”
How has this impacted your life?
This year, I was able to take a sabbatical after five years with the company, traveling throughout Italy and fully disconnecting from work. My team cheered me on and made sure everything was covered so I could truly recharge. Coming back refreshed and seeing how excited they were for me reminded me how rare and special that level of support is.
What do these policies or actions say about EZ Texting and the company culture as a whole?
These perks and practices show that EZ Texting puts people at the center of its culture. Collaboration is natural, support is everywhere and there’s no stigma in prioritizing well-being. It’s a workplace where you’re encouraged to do great work and live a full life at the same time.
