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The Breastfeeding and Employment (BESt) Study: New mother employee perceptions of breastfeeding support in companies
Author(s) -
Olson Beth,
Braun Michael
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.27.1_supplement.849.11
Subject(s) - breastfeeding , perception , autonomy , psychology , perceived organizational support , multilevel model , human resource management , business , nursing , medicine , social psychology , management , organizational commitment , pediatrics , neuroscience , machine learning , political science , computer science , law , economics
Working women breastfeed at lower rates than the unemployed, but little is known on their perceptions of breastfeeding support in companies. Objective Determine the role of company policies and manager attitudes on new mother employee perceptions of workplace breastfeeding support. Methods The BESt Study surveyed companies via mailings to Human Resource Managers with surveys on company's breastfeeding supports and for matched employee and manager pairs. Companies received a total support score and subscores. Analysis was by hierarchical linear modeling. Results Employee scores were not associated with any company scores. Employees with greater job autonomy, a better physical environment and female managers were more positive (p<0.01). Total company scores were associated with more positive manager attitudes, due to structural supports (P<0.01) but not employee supportive supports. In a combined model, positive manager attitudes was associated with more negative perceptions of employees (P<0.05). This relationship was marginally significantly moderated by employees’ prior breastfeeding experience and moderated by managers’ previous experience with breastfeeding employees (P<0.05). Conclusions New mother employees may be more influenced by their ability to control their work environment, and benefit from their own breastfeeding experience as well as that of their manager. Funded by USDA NRI 2006–35215‐16703