NTUC U Family is investing in gold, ‘Project Liquid Gold’ to be exact. It has embarked on a multi-pronged, multi-partner approach to remove workplace barriers to breastfeeding and raise awareness to help mothers returning to work to continue nursing.
One of U Family’s ‘Project Liquid Gold’ efforts was to team up with the School of Design & Environment (DE) and Ideawerkz, an innovation incubator, of Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) to organise a design competition. The aim was to find the best system that can create a temporary space for lactating mothers to express milk in the workplace.
“Many new mothers stop breastfeeding their newborns when they return to work after their maternity leave due to constraints faced at their workplaces – no proper lactation space, resorting to expressing their breast milk at spaces like storerooms or even toilets,” explained Ms Toh Hwee Tin, Director of NTUC U Family.
“We hope to raise awareness in facility design by tapping on the imagination of students to see if we can innovate and come up with different ways to address these difficulties. That was how the idea of a design competition was mooted.”
Mrs Pang-Eng Peck Hong, Director of NP’s School of Design & Environment added, “We are excited to challenge our students to use their creativity to solve a problem faced by working mothers all over the world."
Opened to all NP students, the “Most Innovative Nursing System” Design Contest saw a total of 13 submissions shortlisted. The three-member judging panel from NP and NTUC was on the search for one design that provided privacy, comfort and a power source while requiring neither renovation nor modification of the office space. The winner that fulfilled all the Es – easy to setup and move, economical, ergonomical, and environmentally-friendly –walked away with a cash prize of $1,500. The first and second runners-up received $1,000 and $500 respectively.
U Family also announced its plans to work with the Health Promotion Board (HPB) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) to introduce an Employer Guide on Breastfeeding Support at Workplaces.
“Many employers are actually open to the idea of providing support to their breastfeeding employees, but are unclear on how to do it. We are especially excited to have the strong support from HPB and SNEF to embark on this Employer Guide project,” said Ms Toh.
The guide, expected to be released by the third quarter of 2014, will stress the benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and babies, and the types of support they require to continue nursing after returning to work. Other information to be included include the benefits to employers or workplaces for having lactation-friendly arrangements and successful cases of other employers who have taken the first steps. Useful resources such as the availability of funding for the building of lactation facilities in companies can also be found in the guide.
“Through the employer guide on breastfeeding support, we hope to encourage more workplaces to adopt practices that render greater support for working mothers,” said Mr Zee Yoong Kang, CEO, HPB.
“Many working women begin to exit the workforce from around the age of 30 due to family responsibilities and many do not return to the workforce after that. A workplace environment that supports working mothers is crucial to their retention,” said Mr Koh Juan Kiat, Executive Director, SNEF.
To further help employers and building owners, NTUC has called for more help assistance for them. Currently, only employers are eligible for co-funding of lactation facilities in the company under the Work-Life Developmental Grant. The Labour Movement hopes that the fund will be extended to building owners as well. Building owners face an additional challenge of available floor space in existing buildings that can be used within the guidelines of the GFA. U Family has urge for some flexibility in the guidelines.
At the end of the day, family-friendly workplaces with supportive employers and happy, productive workers are what ‘Project Liquid Gold’ aims to have. Now, that is certainly worth its weight in gold.
