5 Ways to Make a Workplace Inclusive for Breastfeeding
Inclusivity is an important goal in today's workplace and one that validates the wide range of bodies and experiences. Yet many workplaces are still not fully supporting breastfeeding employees when they return after having a baby. If your objective is to create a truly inclusive work space and culture—one that works for working parents—here are five things to consider.
1. Don't wait for employees to ask for lactation accommodations.
Breastfeeding employees have a legal right to lactation accommodations and it’s the responsibility of employers to understand their legal obligation and ensure their organization is in compliance. Requesting appropriate accommodations from a male superior, or in a male-dominated workplace, can be uncomfortable—possibly even intimidating—given power relations, status, and hierarchy.
2. Send the right message.
If your workplace doesn't provide breastfeeding employees with a clean, secure, and private place to pump that's available when they need it, you're actually sending the wrong message because you're sending these messages:
I take care of my personal needs and everybody is just like me.
Breastfeeding employees can wait until they get home.
Pumping breast milk in a bathroom or empty conference room is fine.
If breastfeeding employees really need a space, they need to ask for it and justify their requests.
Regardless of your company's best intentions, messages like these are at odds with an inclusive workplace.
3. Recognize that breastfeeding employees working in different functions may need different support.
While some breastfeeding parents are fortunate enough to have private offices, or have the flexibility to work from home, many have job functions that can make finding a private space to pump really hard. Ensure that your organization recognizes and supports the needs of all breastfeeding workers— including those working in warehouses, distributions centers, factories, etc. All breastfeeding employees have the right to a workplace lactation accommodation that’s not a bathroom.
4. Dedicate space for pumping.
Breastfeeding employees need a clean and private space where they can express milk at work. The space needs to be easily accessible and available when employees need it multiple times throughout their work shift. No breastfeeding parent should ever be in the situation where they’re pumping in an empty conference room...until everyone shows up for a meeting.
5. Communicate that your workplace is breastfeeding-friendly.
Supporting breastfeeding parents includes providing the physical infrastructure of a workplace lactation space, but it also involves a commitment to shifting traditional work culture. Help all employees understand why breastfeeding is important, and what it takes to successfully pump at work, by creating a written lactation accommodation policy and communicating this benefit to all employees.
Mamava designs solutions to empower breastfeeding and pumping parents on the go, like our freestanding lactation pods, Mamava’s lactation space locator app, and other helpful resources.
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