Corporate Obesity Conundrum: The Sword Cuts Both Ways

One new study says overweight people are significantly less productive. Another study says that sedentary jobs are making people fat. What is a company to do?

We are a nation with rapidly expanding waistlines. A new study shows that the larger the waistline¹ the greater the loss of productivity, with a current yearly price tag of $73 billion down the drain.

It's not just that overweight/obese people have higher yearly health care costs and are absent from work more often. The new study actually focuses on their behavior at work and finds they are much less efficient workers – often running out of energy and not getting much done. No doubt this type of information will be considered by employers, even if they don't mention it, when looking to fill job openings. Why would any employer hire someone proven to be drastically more expensive and less productive?

On the other hand, a Canadian study² evaluating work-related physical activity between 1994 and 2005 found a significant increase in sedentary office work that paralleled the increasing rate of obesity.

This is not a trivial issue. Employers can improve the productive output of employees by encouraging exercise, making fitness options more available to employees, and conducting mid-morning and mid-afternoon exercise breaks. Employees can do many things to improve their waistline and should realize that being competitive in the employment market is influenced by body weight. If you have a sedentary job then look at options to be more active, including more activity while at work.