Supporting Working Parents in the Modern Workplace

Preferred Office Network recently hosted an insightful webinar addressing a critical yet often-overlooked aspect of the modern office: lactation support. Despite the regulatory compliance established by the PUMP Act of 2022, many employers and workspace providers still fall short in providing the amenities necessary to truly support working parents.

Caroline Hecht, Preferred’s Director of Partnerships, moderated a panel of industry leaders, including:

• Brie Tascione, CEO of MilkMate
• Maile Kusano, LivingWell Project Manager for Bread Financial
• Tara Dugal, Senior Manager of Operations at Hines

The discussion explored the intersection of compliance, the “silent struggle” of working parents, and the reality of Return-to-Office (RTO) strategies. The consensus was clear: thoughtful amenities create a competitive advantage for employers and landlords alike.

This topic touches every stakeholder in the workforce – from HR leaders to space providers. By fostering open dialogue, organizations can address compliance gaps and ensure working parents understand their rights to a better workplace solution.

The Return-to-Office Reality

The workplace has undergone a fundamental reset. As Brie Tascione noted, enterprise companies are navigating the complex balance of hybrid work and RTO mandates while employees report record levels of burnout. This friction has created a tipping point for how workplace experience is prioritized.

Leaders are no longer asking if people should return, but rather: “What is the real value of the physical workplace?”

The office is no longer just a place to sit. Future-of-work leaders now treat the workplace as a strategic business asset rather than a cost center. When designed intentionally, offices become hubs of growth, engagement, and human connection that directly drive business performance.

The Rise of the Hospitality Model

The “hospitality model” is rapidly rising in corporate America. These experience-driven workplaces are designed around people, not just square footage.

The most successful companies are making offices “returnable” by designing for humans with real lives. They invest in practical support systems that reduce daily friction, allowing employees to be productive, collaborative, and fully present.

Impact of Design on Employee Engagement

According to Gallup’s 2025 State of the Global Workplace, only 21% of employees are engaged, contributing to $428 billion in annual productivity losses.

However, experience-led design offers a solution.

• One technology company reimagined its HQ as a cultural hub and saw attendance increase by 30% without mandates.
• Another introduced on-site support for new parents, helping employees reclaim over 65 lost workdays.

The takeaway: Mandates without support create resistance. Workplaces designed with practical, human-centered solutions drive engagement and voluntary return.

The Strain on Caregivers

A major force shaping modern design is the “caregiver persona.” Today, 40% of the workforce are parents, and 60% of mothers with children under three are working.

As caregiving responsibilities rise, so do burnout and attrition risks. Employers must ask: How can we reduce daily friction for caregivers?

Practical support is no longer a “nice to have”—it is a deciding factor in talent retention and tenant leasing. This shift is redefining where amenities become competitive advantages.

Beyond Compliance: The PUMP Act Explained

Workforce shifts have driven significant policy change, most notably the PUMP Act of 2022. This federal law expanded protections for nursing employees, applying to nearly all workers.

Under the PUMP Act, employers are legally required to:

1. Provide reasonable break time.
2. Accommodate all nursing workers.
3. Offer a private, non-bathroom space to pump.

Space Requirements:

• Must be lockable and private.
• Must include a flat surface and electricity.
• Must have access to running water.

While the PUMP Act provides a necessary “floor,” it is not the “ceiling.” Legal compliance does not guarantee a human-centered experience. Many mothers’ rooms technically meet the requirements but fail to support the employee effectively.

The critical question: Is compliance enough? Does the space actually reduce stress? For many, the answer is still no.

The “Silent Struggle” of Pumping at Work

To design workplaces around people, employers must understand where friction occurs. Pumping at work is often cumbersome and mentally draining. The challenges consistently fall into four areas:

1. Time: Logistics take time away from the workday, often multiple times a day.
2. Logistics: Managing equipment, cleaning parts, and storing milk creates significant distraction.
3. Forgotten Parts: Forgetting a single component can derail a day, often forcing an employee to go home.
4. Space: Finding a private, clean, and available room is rarely guaranteed in shared offices.

This “Silent Struggle” is a tangible barrier pushing parents out of the workforce.

The Cost of Lost Time

These inefficiencies compound. Employees must set up, clean, and break down equipment multiple times a day. Over weeks, this “quiet tax” turns into meaningful productivity loss, disengagement, and turnover – costs that often remain invisible to employers until it’s too late.

A Human-Centered Approach: The MilkMate Solution

What does a truly supportive mothers’ room look like? It starts with a simple premise: The experience should be seamless.

MilkMate has designed an all-in-one solution that addresses these friction points directly. By providing the pump and ready-to-use kits, they eliminate the need for assembly, cleaning, or transporting equipment.

• The Result: Employees save 15 minutes per session.
• The Benefit: A calmer, predictable experience that supports focus and presence.

For workspace providers, this is a turnkey, no-construction solution that closes compliance gaps and offers a highly marketable amenity.

Real-World Adoption

Forward-thinking leaders are already seeing success:

• The Square by Hines (205 Hudson, NYC): Added MilkMate to their coworking space. The amenity has become a key selling point during tours, with data showing ~106 sessions and 27 hours of time saved
• Bread Financial: Maile Kusano noted that upgrading lactation rooms elevated the employee experience. Even employees who don’t use the service appreciate the culture of care it represents.

Where Do Companies Go From Here?

Companies should assess not only their PUMP Act compliance but also the quality of their support.

HR and business leaders must open a dialogue with employees to gauge if the “silent struggle” is impacting productivity. As hospitality-based amenities grow in popularity, the workforce expects more. Employers who invest in these support systems will succeed in attracting and retaining top talent.

Key Takeaways

• Support over Mandates: Return-to-office strategies fail without adequate support.
• Retention Tool: Caregiver amenities are a key factor in site selection and employee satisfaction.
• Beyond Compliance: The PUMP Act is the minimum; true success comes from experience-led design.
• ROI of Empathy: Human-centered design reduces friction, improving productivity and engagement.

Watch the full webinar discussion here on YouTube.

Contact Preferred Office Network to learn more about flexible workspace solutions aligned with your company’s culture and goals.