Weight Stigma in the Workplace: How Can We Avoid It?

In accordance with U.S. law, employers have the right to fire employees on the basis of their body weight. Yes, we couldn’t believe it either.

In fact, it’s been found that body weight plays a more significant role in the workplace than what appears on the surface. One study found that a woman’s hourly pay drops by 2% for every 6 pounds she gains.

Still, beyond these legal injustices, weight stigma continues to plague many work environments. Whether it’s discussions of diet or microaggressions or simply excluding larger bodies from group activities, the U.S. is ultimately facing a dilemma.

For these reasons, we’ve developed an article taking a deeper look at weight stigma in the workplace. Beyond that, we’ve also provided suggestions for how you can help to avoid such stigma in your business.

How Can a Workplace Be Fatphobic?

Let’s start with the obvious; salary. As mentioned, women have been found to lose money if they gain weight. But this doesn’t stop there.

It’s also been indicated that people of higher weight are less likely to garner promotions, creating a further income gap between plus-size women and straight-size women. Between $9,000 to $19,000, to be exact.

However, these issues are considering that a person of higher weight is already working in an office place. Evidence indicates that when going through the interview process, higher-weight people are met with a number of stigmas that prevent them from obtaining jobs. These can include less potential, intelligence, and trust.

Then there’s the not-so-obvious; the little ways in which an office environment makes life more difficult for people of higher weight. From not being able to fit comfortably in chairs to the microaggressions perpetuated by employees.

Naturally, the problem of fatphobia isn’t necessarily an intentional act of office spaces. Instead, it’s a cultural problem that plagues most of society. Most of which come from policy, healthcare, fashion, and media.

Most notably, the stigma is based on the conception that heavy people are unhealthy. And this communicates that heavy people are inherently bad.

The idea behind changing fatphobia in the workplace goes beyond creating a more equitable environment for all your employees. It’s a step in changing the attitude society has upheld for generations.

How Can Employers Foster a More Inclusive and Body Positive Workplace?

Again, there’s the obvious - as an employer, you can hire and promote higher-weight people. You can create an environment that’s more accessible for high-weight people (such as larger office furniture and less physically-oriented team-building activities).

Then there’s the not-so-obvious - how do you minimize stigma within your environment?

Naturally, as a leader, it’s your job to uphold employee behavior and to ensure the environment of your workplace is equitable for everyone. And in order to get employees started on the right path, it may be worth investing in bias training.

According to Athleta’s handbook, employers have the ability to invest in anti-bias training surrounding weight-based discrimination. When this is done alongside the above-mentioned (obvious) points, your chances of improving the quality of work life for everyone can exceed massively.

Furthermore, it’s important to look within and undo your internalized fatphobia. While you may have the right intentions, you may have biases happening at an unconscious level. Therefore, preventing you from truly making changes you hope to see in the world.

Naturally, overcoming such challenges may get in the way of other aspects of your business. Initially, it may appear that focusing on cultural issues rather than occupational ones may inhibit profits.

While this is true, in the long run, you’re giving your company the chance to increase profit. And the reason is simply - if employees feel comfortable and accepted in your work environment, they’re more likely to develop a dedication to your company.

Provide Mental Health Services

Most employers offer some form of health insurance while also providing employees with extra perks, sometimes a free gym membership. However, it’s worth considering perks that will also benefit higher-weight individuals.

One of the most sought-after is mental health services. As you can imagine, people of a higher weight face discrimination that people of a straight weight can’t even comprehend. Such discriminations come with trauma and other mental health issues that can inhibit their ability to feel comfortable in their own skin.

By offering mental health services as a perk to your company, you’re giving all employees the opportunity to exceed in their own stress management.

Final Word

As mentioned, fatphobia isn’t so much a workplace issue as much as a societal problem. With that said, simply by reading this article, you’re already taking a step in the direction of social progress.

By incorporating some of the suggestions mentioned here, you're not only doing your employees a favor, but you’re also helping to shape a more inclusive world. And with that said, you’re also helping all higher-weight people out there.

At the end of the day, these talking points are primarily to create a better environment for higher-weight people. With a better environment and stress management, we guarantee the work culture you’re creating will result in more positive outcomes for your company.