How Webflow Nearly Tripled its Headcount in Just Two Years

Webflow is a software company that helps users design, build, and launch websites—no code necessary. Founded in 2013, Webflow’s goal is to make website creation more accessible for everyone. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, but their team members work in all corners of the world, including various cities in the United States, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Africa.

In early 2021, Webflow raised $140 million during a Series B round of funding, bringing their company valuation to a whopping $2.1 billion. To support their two million plus users, they’ve had to grow quickly. The company went from 120 team members in 2019 to nearly 400 in 2021.

As they were gearing up to scale, they realized they needed a better system for employee leave management.

The challenge: Streamlining leave while scaling

Webflow’s mission is to empower everyone to create for the web—and lead impactful, fulfilling lives while they do it. That’s why the Webflow team prides themselves on cultivating a generous, kind workplace culture, one that supports its employees both personally and professionally.

“We wanted to get ahead of the problem, so we got Sparrow just before our intense period of scaling.”

In addition to monthly wellness stipends, commuting and snack stipends, team bonding activities, meditation classes, and coffee chats with CEOs, Webflow works hard to provide its team members with compassionate and equitable leave. The company models their leave coverage off of California’s impressive state policies and extends it to every person, regardless of their location.

However, despite offering comprehensive coverage, Webflow wasn’t well equipped to manage leaves internally. “We didn’t have as many leaves to manage before we scaled, but the process was a bit scattered,” said Johanna McLeod, people operations coordinator and leave specialist at Webflow.

Webflow’s HR team used Google sheets to track leave details; though that system worked at the time, it wasn’t streamlined or efficient, McLeod explained. “We wanted to get ahead of the problem, so we got Sparrow just before our intense period of scaling.”

The solution: Turning over leave management to Sparrow

To better support their team members and save time, Webflow partnered with Sparrow for more straightforward leave management. “Sparrow makes the leave management process both scalable and personal,” McLeod said.

Instead of using tedious manual tracking systems and staying up to date on complex state laws, Webflow was able to turn the entire process over to Sparrow’s savvy leave specialists. “Tracking each leave is so much easier now,” McLeod added. “I don’t have to deal with all the variable state laws, and can rest assured knowing that Sparrow handles that and takes that pressure off.”

The result is incredible time savings: “Using Sparrow has cut down the leave process by at least an hour or two each leave,” McLeod said, “which is massive when we have as many leaves as we do. If not for Sparrow, it would be a full-time job just managing leave at this point.”

Sparrow works closely with the Webflow team, taking a huge burden off of the HR and payroll teams. “Sparrow has been incredibly helpful for our payroll team, making the process simpler by coordinating our company’s benefits to align for the best possible result for our team members,” she said.

Webflow team members also benefit from easier communication. “Team members taking leave don’t have to contact me and their manager and Sparrow,” McLeod explained. “They just tell their leave specialist and Sparrow does the heavy lifting in terms of coordinating and communicating.”

The bonus: Compassionate, personalized support

With Sparrow, not only did Webflow save time tracking leaves—they also gave their team members the gift of a smooth transition to and from work.

Beyond explaining state laws and breaking down their coverage plan, Sparrow specialists also help team members navigate payment details and get in touch with their healthcare providers. And when people are preparing to return to work, Sparrow sends them an email about how to plan and what to expect in terms of their compensation and coverage.

“I’ve always appreciated how supportive, flexible, and understanding Sparrow is. They’re a really compassionate group,” McLeod said. Her personal experience with Sparrow’s leave support was so positive that she felt inspired to become a leave specialist at Webflow.

“Sparrow helped me through the whole process when I had my first baby.”

“Sparrow helped me through the whole process when I had my first baby,” she said. “I had a particularly difficult case as my healthcare worker wasn’t communicative. But Sparrow took the reins and called them until everything was sorted. The experience really made me passionate about taking care of team members during times of change.”

Supporting employees at every stage

By outsourcing leave management to Sparrow, Webflow has saved countless HR hours and given their team the emotional support and practical tools they need to navigate major life changes.

“Sparrow really reflects Webflow’s culture of genuineness and kindness. We share the same values and are on the same page in wanting our team members to experience the best possible care,” McLeod said.

Going forward, Webflow is excited to continue supporting their team as they scale and announce new improvements to the Webflow platform.

To learn more about how Sparrow simplifies leave management, see the different services we offer.