Working Well Employer Spotlight on Spartanburg County
Spartanburg County joined Working Well in June of 2017 through a partnership with HealthyCommunity50 Challenge in Spartanburg and have recently remained engaged through a community partnership with EatSmart MoveMore Spartanburg County. With strong support from the city administration and County Council, they have made tremendous progress on many fronts with their employee wellbeing initiative, including implementing a Healthy Food Policy and a Physical Activity Policy. Most recently, they have been working on implementing a Breastfeeding Policy and created a lactation room for nursing mothers.
After completing their latest Strategy for Wellbeing assessment, the County identified several opportunities for improvement. One of which was to designate a lactation room for employees who are nursing mothers. Using a policy template in Strategy for Wellbeing’s Resource Toolbox, their Human Resources department created a Breastfeeding Policy draft and submitted it for review. When finalized, the policy will be submitted to County Council for approval.
Next, they began looking for available space. After speaking with their facilities manager, the County identified a small space in the Administrative Building that was not being utilized. Their maintenance department made some simple enhancements to ensure the room’s comfort and privacy by adding a lock to the door, hanging pictures, adding furniture, and posting signage.
Next, Ali Ellison, the County’s Wellness Coordinator, reached out to Working Well to ensure the space was compliant with federal law and would encourage utilization. They wanted to provide a small refrigerator in the room for breast milk storage. Partners for Active Living, with funding from Healthy People Healthy Carolinas, graciously donated a refrigerator for the space. The final step was to send out a communication to employees letting them know the lactation room was available. The County is hopeful that this space will encourage breastfeeding and accommodate working mothers by eliminating barriers and increasing access.