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Encouraging employees to continue to breastfeed once they are back at work has benefits for both employers and employees. There are just three essential requirements to ensure that employees can successfully combine work and breastfeeding:
- Time: Sufficient break time to pump, or flexible work hours.
- Space: A comfortable, clean and private space for employees to pump, or nearby or on-site child care so employees can breastfeed during breaks and/or lunch time.
- Support: "Mother-friendly" workplace policies that educate all workers and management about the benefits of breastfeeding and actively support employees to continue to breastfeed once they return to employment.
The payoff is significant when employers become “breastfeeding friendly”:
- Employees are more satisfied and loyal, and
- Employees miss less work due to sick children.
Research shows that lactation support programs are desired by employees who return to work after childbirth, plus they improve a company’s return on their investment by saving money on health care expenses and employee turn over.
Employer Benefits Include:
- Reduced staff turnover and loss of skilled workers after the birth of a child
- Reduced sick time/personal leave for breastfeeding women and their partners because their infants are more resistant to illness
- Lower health care costs associated with healthier, breastfed infants
- Higher job productivity, employee satisfaction and morale
- Added recruitment incentive for women
- Enhanced reputation as a company concerned for the welfare of its employees and their families
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For Employers
