According to new survey, only 43% of UK of bosses are ‘completely happy’ with breastfeeding at work. Should attitudes change?

Did you know: 95% of UK bosses say they run an inclusive workplace, but only 22% offer a designated area for employees to breastfeed?

Ahead of World Breastfeeding Week 2021 (August 1-6), Peninsula conducted a global survey of 48,973 employers across 4 countries – Australia, Canada, Ireland, and the UK – to look at attitudes towards breastfeeding in the workplace and see how businesses were supporting their employees.

It is highly likely that, at some stage, managers will have an employee who is breastfeeding or expressing milk at work. This question has been in the news recently with several Olympic athletes complaining that they were having to choose between their sport and their child, until the International Olympic Committee revised their rules allowing babies to travel to Tokyo with their parents, if they were breastfeeding.

Within the remits of the legal protection, it is good practice to provide breastfeeding employees with suitable support. After all, the success of their return to the professional environment will often directly relate to how they are managed over the initial period.

Kate Palmer is HR Advice and Consultancy Director at Peninsula UK. She says:

“Returning mothers should not be introduced back into the workplace without an initial discussion regarding their return, in a similar fashion to any employee who has been on long-term sickness absence, in order to understand their needs, concerns and answer any questions they have.

“Raising the topic of breastfeeding or expressing milk can be uncomfortable, however line managers can undertake training in how to carry out sensitive conversations such as this. Alternatively, you may wish to ask whether the employee would feel more comfortable discussing the matter with a female member of management or HR.

“Speaking to the employee about whether they have breastfeeding or expressing plans will ensure the manager is aware that this is taking place, and, at this stage, the provisions or facilities provided by the employer can also be confirmed.

“The need to provide breastfeeding employees with resting facilities that allow them to lie down clearly shows that toilets, desk spaces or cars are inadequate and inappropriate places to provide. Instead, employees must, as far as possible, be provided with a private, secure and hygienic place where expressing milk can take place.

“It will often be the case that employers will not have a clear designated space available for breastfeeding employees but areas such as a lockable office that can be made private through covering windows or doors may be suitable for this purpose. Again, talking through the available spaces with the employee will help show that you are taking all available steps to support her at work.

“A further consideration will be the provision of storage facilities for expressed milk. Whilst most offices will have a communal fridge in a staff room, it may be the case that the employee does not feel comfortable using this so openly. Possible options include providing a separate fridge area or allocating a space within the communal fridge using a sealable container or cool box which maintains a hygienic storage space.”