Effective Outreach with Businesses

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Effective Outreach with Businesses
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Sneak Preview Section 4

• Learning objective Describe at least two
  motivators of employers and two barriers to
  implementing a worksite lactation program.
• Topics How to present the business case to
  employers
• Handouts
• Handout B Press Release
• Handout C Company Profile
• Handout D Role Play Scenarios
• Resources from The Business Case for
  Breastfeeding
• Folder 5 Outreach Marketing Guide

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Video Exercise
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Exchange Theory in Action
Barriers
Motivators
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The Bottom Line What Motivates Employers

• For employers, the right thing to do is to
  maintain a healthy bottom line (ROI)

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Investing in Proven Programs

• Successful program models can help employers feel
  confident considering lactation support.
• Options for finding similar companies
• Employer Snapshots
• State breastfeeding coalitions (Washington,
  Texas, Oregon, Rhode Island, San Diego, Vermont)
• Working Mother magazines list of family-friendly
  businesses

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Employer Recognition Programs

• Reward Program Options
• Establish general criteria and recognize ALL
  businesses that meet the criteria. (Examples
  Oregon, Texas, Mississippi)
• Establish a tiered level of support based on a
  good/better/best model. (Example Vermont)
• Recognize a single business each year that is the
  most outstanding program (Examples Washington,
  San Diego)
• Recognize businesses that not only support
  employees, but also provide a supportive
  environment for consumers
• Options for nominations (by the business,
  consumers, coalition, or other healthcare
  community groups)
• Options for making awards

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The Power of Legislation
21 U.S. States plus the District of Columbia and
Puerto Rico have legislation related to working
and breastfeeding
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Year 1 Lessons Learned

• Oregon legislation raised concerns about
  realistic compliance among public service and
  emergency workers
• Oregon Breastfeeding Coalition took quick action
  to become part of the team addressing the
  concerns
• Mississippi child care legislation
• Right to breastfeed cards can backfire with
  employers if presented

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Barrier Lack of Awareness and Demand

• Employers are generally unaware of
• Needs of lactation women
• Milk production as an ongoing process
• Health impact of breastfeeding
• How a lactation support can improve the ROI Dunn
  2004)
• Common myths
• Breastfeeding and formula are equal
• Breast milk is a potential contaminant
• Breastfeeding employees will be more fatigued
• Expressing milk at work interferes with
  productivity

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BarrierBreastfeeding is a Non-Issue

• Lack of awareness of how many employees are
  breastfeeding (Bridges 1997)
• Limited requests (Dunn 2004)
• Breastfeeding women wean soon after returning to
  work (Cardenas 2005)
• Few female employees
• Half of female employers breastfed (Libbus 2002)

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Strategies for Improving Awareness and Uncovering
Demand

• Provide breastfeeding data
• Give data on benefits of supporting partners of
  male employees (Cohen 95)
• Gently correct myths
• Little time is needed to express human milk
• OSHA does not classify human milk as
  occupational exposure
• Providing a supportive environment lowers stress
  and could potentially lower the need for EAP
  benefits.
• Provide information on how lactation support
  improves the ROI

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Strategies for Improving Awareness and Uncovering
Demand

• Give program examples from other companies
• Solicit comments from employees
• Offer training for managers
• See Folder 3, Tool Kit CD-ROM for
• program examples and Folder 5,
• Outreach Resources CD-ROM for
• PowerPoint presentation

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The National Business Group on Health

• Online materials complementing The Business Case
  for Breastfeeding
• www.businessgrouphealth.org
• Model Benefit Plan Investing in Maternal and
  Child Health
• Resources for large companies
• Webinars

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BarrierDiscussing Intimate Issues at Work

• Breastfeeding viewed as personal and private by
  many employers
• Discomfort thinking of employees as breastfeeding
  women

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Strategies for AddressingIntimate Issues

• Identify breastfeeding mothers or other
  champions
• Consider your language
• Avoid images that show exposed breasts
• Offer training

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BarrierLack of Space

• Space
• Space is limited in most companies
• Employers generally unaware of the small size (4
  x 5) that is actually needed for a lactation
  room
• Employers may be concerned about compliance costs
  and effort through Americans with Disabilities
  Act of 1992

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Strategies to Address Space Needs

• Reassure employers that lactation rooms can be
  simple and low cost and that compliance need not
  be difficult.
• Give options for lactation rooms
• American Institute of Architect best practices
  www.aia.org
• Approach the building manager of facilities that
  lease space
• Encourage employers to involve facility staff for
  future renovations

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Making it Work Even in Difficult Settings
See Employer Spotlights in Folder 3, Tool
Kit CD-ROM
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Babies at Work

• Not a new phenomenon
• Benefits to employer
• Improved loyalty and retention
• Reduced absenteeism
• Lower healthcare costs
• Enhanced teamwork
• Resource Parenting at Work Institute,
  www.babiesatwork.org

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Presenting Babies at Work as a Viable Option

• The need is temporary for the employee (most
  companies limit babies to under age 6 months-1
  year)
• Cost outlay is low
• Clear guidelines helps ensure success
• Group liability coverage available
• Mothers assume all liability of the infant

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BarrierLack of Flexible Scheduling Options

• Settings that require more rigid work hours (ex
  manufacturing plants, schools, hospitals,
  restaurants)
• Regulated industries are bound by law to retain
  employees on the floor
• Lack of awareness of the amount of time actually
  needed for expressing milk

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Strategies to AddressScheduling Needs

• Tell employers
• Breaks are predictable absences are NOT
• Milk expression can generally be handled during
  lunch and regular breaks
• Breastfeeding is a temporary need milk
  expression needs diminish as baby grows
• Regulated industries can follow a stricter
  scheduling

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Barrier Potential Resistance fromOther
Employees

• mployee benefit programs are often weighed on the
  basis of perceived fairness by workers (Cordella
  2001)
• Perceived unfairness affects employee trust in
  management and willingness to take on extra tasks
  (Seijts 2004)

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Strategies to Gain Co-Worker Buy-In

• Remind employers/co-workers that companies offer
  many programs for narrow groups because
  employees have different needs that require
  individualized programs
• Promote the program as a company health benefit
  and family-friendly benefit that helps all
  employees
• Include co-workers in initial planning
• Promote benefits of lactation support to all
  workers
• Maintain ongoing communication
• Offer training for staff

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Presenting the Business CaseDo Your Homework!

• Handout D Company Profile
• Gather company background information
• Size of work force
• Employer demographics
• Existing benefits and work/life programs
• Revenue
• Read company history, mission/vision
• Learn about other family-friendly benefits
• Identify key players
• Read news about the company
• Other partners who can help Chamber of Commerce,
  Bureau of Labor, Small Business Administration

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Presenting the Business CasePrepare Your Message

• Use the information you learn to prepare messages
• Frame messages in short soundbites
• List company accomplishments to affirm and tie to
  lactation program
• Note similar companies providing lactation
  support and bring information to share
• Employer Snapshots in Folder 3, Tool Kit
• Working Woman Magazines 100 Best Companies
• Coalition Web sites with recognition awards

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Presenting the Business CaseOutline a Contact
Plan

• Follow standard
• business protocol
• Conduct personal visits
• Schedule visits in advance with
• Keep visits short
• Cut to the chase
• Avoid mailings

Outreach Plan ?Send cover letter to HR manager ? Follow up with phone call to schedule visit ? Keep visit short and focus on bottom-line benefits ? Follow-up via phone or e-mail to provide additional resources and assistance
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Presenting the Business CaseGather Materials

• Resources from The Business Case for
  Breastfeeding
• Community resources for employers
• Handout F Community Resource Flyer to note
  resources for
• Helping a business establish a lactation program
• Teaching classes for pregnant and breastfeeding
  employees and partners
• Direct lactation support to new mothers
• Quality breast pumps
• Employee resources

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Presenting the Business CaseWho to Approach

• Collaborate with state obesity task force and/or
  worksite wellness council
• Human resource directors
• Wellness program/occupational health nurses
• Employee Assistance Program
• Facilities managers
• Breastfeeding employees
• START WITH WHO YOU KNOW!
• Cold calls are a last resort

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Presenting the Business CaseWhat to Say

• Handout E Outreach Meeting Guide
• Introduce yourself and explain the purpose for
  your visit.
• Affirm what the business is doing WELL
• Present the business case by focusing on employer
  priorities (lowering health care costs and
  improving employee retention)
• Present The Business Case for Breastfeeding
  program
• Listen to the employers concerns and barriers
• Offer solutions and examples of other companies
• Describe assistance your group can provide
• Follow up with a thank-you

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Case ExampleHawaii Breastfeeding Coalition
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Year 1 Lessons LearnedGo to the Businesses

• Chamber of Commerce meetings
• Rotary Club, other business service clubs
• Presentations at local SHRM chapter meetings
• Exhibits at SHRM annual meeting

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Year 1 Lessons LearnedThink Outside the Box

• Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition Atlanta
  airport outreach
• Central Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition
  collaboration with WIC for mini-grants to
  businesses

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Other Project Promotion Ideas

• Employee health fair exhibits
• Exhibits at business meetings
• Attend business conferences as an attendee

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Using the Media

• Birmingham, Alabama opening of 1st lactation
  room at UAB
• Hawaii morning news program (took advantage of
  pilot state status)
• Georgia Breastfeeding Coalition staged event to
  recognize businesses in the community
• Connecticut Breastfeeding Coalition articles
  published in business journals in the state

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Use Active Listening Tools

• Open-ended questions
• Affirmation
• Provide information that targets the employers
  concerns
• Avoid the temptation to do all the talking
• Share strategies that other companies have tried

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Recognize the Readiness to Change

• Unaware of lactation support
• Resource Folder 1, The Business Case for
  Breastfeeding
• Aware of lactation support and somewhat
  interested
• Resource Folder 1, The Business Case for
  Breastfeeding and Folder 2, Easy Steps to
  Supporting Breastfeeding Employees
• Ready to implement support
• Resource Folder 2, Easy Steps to Supporting
  Breastfeeding Employees and Folder 3, Tool
  Kit CD-ROM

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Presenting the Business CasePractice Role
PlayHandout G Role Play Scenarios
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(No Transcript)