Obesity A Workplace Dilemma Paper
Obesity: A Workplace Dilemma
Valerie Tubman-Gooding
Shorter University
MGNT 3000
Dr. Craig Cleveland
January 18, 2012
Obesity: A Workplace Dilemma
Introduction
Obesity generally is a touchy, sensitive subject most people try to avoid. The fact remains this subject can no longer be ignored as studies have shown obesity is a greater trigger for health problems and increased health spending than smoking or drinking. Individuals who are obese have 30% to 50% more chronic medical problems than those who smoke or drink heavily (Strum, 2002). For the purpose of this paper, I will be analyzing obesity as it relates to the workplace. Obesity in the workplace is a growing problem with repercussions for employees as well as employers. …show more content…
Employers are concerned about the high cost of the obesity epidemic and employees are equally concerned about discrimination issues associated with it. The good news is, all is not lost; there is still hope for both workers and their employers. I will present disconcerted facts about obesity, show how it is impacting the workplace and offer suggestions as to how employers and employees can tackle this problem.
Literature Review Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overweight and obesity ranges for adults are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the “body mass index” or BMI. BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with their amount of body fat. An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight whereas an adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, it does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as overweight even though they do not have excess body fat. Other methods of estimating body fat and body fat distribution include measurements of skin fold thickness and waist circumference, calculation of waist-to hip circumference ratios, and techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Obesity is on a steady rise among American workers.
A study done by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics showed the number of Americans considered obese in 2001 was 44 million or approximately one in five. This is a 74 percent increase since 1991. Also, the percentage of U.S. adults classified as obese doubled between 1980 and 2000, from 15 percent to 31 percent. In a research article by Park (2009), obesity in the workplace is attributed to many factors such as the combination of a sedentary job and poor eating habits, work stress, and job performance. Stress may contribute to obesity by its effects on behavior and metabolism. When your job is mentally challenging, you can have high psychological demands. This indicates that obesity may be a result of the biological and behavioral effects of stress. Obesity can also be caused by unhealthy coping mechanism such as overeating, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption (Park, 2007). The research by Park also shows, obesity and job performance are correlated. This specific question was addressed for guiding the study - “Last week, did you have a job or business from which you were absent?” Those absent from work and indicating their own illness or injury as the primary reason for absence were considered absent due to a health problem. The odds of being absent from work were almost four times higher for obese young men (18 to 34) than for those with normal weight, after controlling for …show more content…
socio-economic and health-related confounding factors. However, among older men and women, the effect of obesity on illness absence was not found. This may be because many older obese people are already out of the job market and only those who are healthier tend to continue working. The effects of obesity appeared to be quite age and sex specific. To conclude the study in which Park wrote about, obesity affected work absenteeism for young men, but work presenteeism for older women. The findings of this study revealed costs of obesity in several dimensions. Obesity can cause personal stress and long term health problems. Moreover, it can lead to significant societal costs by reducing labor market productivity. More specifically, the implication is that reducing or preventing obesity in the workplace would have multiple potential benefits, including better health and well-being, and higher productivity and better job performance. There are economic costs associated with obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the yearly medical care costs of obesity in the United States are estimated at $147 billion. Recent studies found it is a figure that has ballooned of late, growing by more than 80 percent over a five-year period. This huge cost is due largely to the fact that several diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, Osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, stroke, respiratory problems, depression, etc. are reportedly linked to obesity. Research done by Duke University found that the cost to employers of obesity among full-time employees was $73.1 billion a year (Hutchison, 2010). Per Hutchison (2010), the Duke researchers, by way of the 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the 2008 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey, estimated the extent to which obesity-related health problems affected absenteeism, work productivity and medical costs. Although previous research examined only the direct health care cost of obesity, Duke University’s lead researcher, Eric Finkelstein, and his associates found that “presenteeism” cost employers nearly twice as much as their medical cost at $12.1 billion a year. According to Finkelstein, numerous studies have shown the high cost of obesity in medical expenditure and absenteeism, but their findings were the first to measure the incremental costs of presenteeism for obese individuals separately by body mass index and gender among full time employees. Presenteeism is the lost productivity incurred when employees try to work despite health problems. Presenteeism was also the biggest cost among employees of healthy weight, but researchers found that obese workers accounted for a much larger share of overall presenteeism, absenteeism and medical expenses. Furthermore, although they represent only 37 percent of the overall obese population, severely obese individuals with a body mass index greater than 35 accounted for 61 percent of all obese employee costs. The study also showed that among employees with a Body Mass Index higher than 40, which is approximately 100 pounds overweight, these costs were $16,900 per capita for women and $15,500 for men in this weight category. According to Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, the study done by Finkelstein and others re-emphasizes that if we do not deal with obesity effectively, there is probably little hope for us dealing with our economy effectively. He also said although these numbers are rough estimates of costs of obesity, capturing data in any way we can is better than ignoring the problem. The data may not be perfectly accurate, however, this study depicts a very accurate picture overall (Hutchison, 2010). In the conclusion of this research article by Hutchison (2010), the greater the obesity in an individual, the higher the medical costs on average, and now with Duke’s new research, this trend appears to extend to workplace costs as well. And while encouraging employees to maintain a healthy weight should be the ultimate goal, diet experts note that any change in the right direction is likely to improve health outcomes for employees and hence productivity, and lower medical costs for employers. It should be noted that these types of statistics could also contribute to discrimination against obese employees. A sad result is that the study provides ammunition for the discrimination that people with severe obesity deal with. Yale University once published a study that showed that people would rather hire a convicted felon, than a person with severe obesity. The study could also have an impact on hiring practices in that if you add science to discrimination, it will be very difficult for people with morbid obesity to find a job. Billions in lost productivity should be the wake-up call to employers to help their employees get fit and stay in good health, and not justification for ridding the workplace of obese workers (Hutchison, 2010). Obesity in the workplace poses an ethical dilemma for employers. In a case study by Dadhwal et al (2010), to minimize healthcare cost, GlobalMinds Consulting, a San Francisco-based consulting firm hired Prime Fitness Management to start on-site mandatory wellness programs for its employees. Most employees were reluctant and considered this to be intrusive. However, fearing penalties, employees began participating in the program. Tim, an obese Senior Consultant who had been with the company for the past four years, came under huge pressure. He suffered from high blood pressure and cholesterol problems. Lately his medical compensation claims had started rising and frequent absenteeism was also being brought to his notice time and again. However, his obesity never affected his work. He had been a good consistent worker. With this new health drive life for Tim got harder. His participation in the wellness program did not help. Three months had passed and he had shown close to no improvement. The consistent nagging from his health coach and stress to reduce weight began affecting his morale. Mike, HR head of his company, told Tim that he was being penalized for not meeting medical screening requirements. His employee health insurance deductible was raised from $500 to $1,250. One of Tim’s colleagues was rewarded with a $2,500 cash prize; Tim felt disheartened, feeling that the company was not being fair to him. The objectives of this case study were to (1) analyze ethical issues involved in tackling workplace obesity, (2) analyze ethical implications involved in changing employees’ lifestyles by using incentives and penalties and (3) to understand the role of both management and employees in making corporate wellness programs successful (Dadhwal et al, 2010). This case points out that there are some issues surrounding obesity in the workplace that pose a problem for employers who are taking action, or considering taking action, to combat this costly trend. The main problems are the perception of discrimination and the possibility of legal action. However, according to Braun Consulting News, the rewards often far outweigh the risks. The risks of taking action are:
(1) The perception by employees that an employer is discriminating against overweight people.
Many employers fear appearing discriminatory and may be fearful in indentifying individuals who are obese because they do not want to be thought of as discriminating against them. A study by Employment Law Alliance showed that nearly half of American workers believe that overweight employees are discriminated against in the workplace. Considering all of these factors there is a concern that companies attempting to tackle this problem may become embroiled in discrimination issues (Braun Consulting News,
2004).
(2) Actual anti-weight-discrimination laws. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that everyone in the United States has a right to employment free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Section 7 has been used in weight discrimination cases where weight standards are applied differently to different classes (e.g. women and men), and where weight standards have an adverse impact on a protected class. Other laws protecting employees are the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 and the State of Michigan: Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act which bans discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status.
(3) Lack of participation in the program. Though not actually a risk, one of the biggest challenges facing companies is getting workers to take advantage of fitness programs and other efforts at reducing obesity. Two-thirds of companies surveyed by the National Business Group on Health reported that fewer than 25 percent of their workers participated in their fitness programs. Three out of ten reported that 25 and 50 percent of workers participated and 2 percent said that more than half of their work force participated (Braun Consulting News, 2004).
The rewards for taking action are:
(1) Improvement of the health and productivity of employees. Employees who are overweight and lose weight usually feel better and work better. Participating employees’ quality of life is improved and the quality of their work can improve as well. A healthier employee is usually a happier employee (Braun Consulting News, 2004)
(2) Increase in morale of employees. In a recent poll by the National Business Group on Health more than half (56 percent) of the companies reported increased morale among their work force as a result of their fitness programs and initiatives.
(3) Savings in health care costs. In the same poll mentioned above more than one out of four (27 percent) said their fitness initiatives resulted in savings in their health care costs.
(4) Providing a better workplace and work-life balance for employees. Just as there is a perception that these programs may be discriminatory, the reverse side of this is that these programs demonstrate concern by the employer for the welfare of the employees. The job site is a major part of most people’s day, and it can be one of the prime areas where they can increase their health and fitness. Companies that facilitate and promote fitness can benefit from the knowledge that they are providing a better life for their employees, and that the employees will appreciate this in return (Braun Consulting News, 2004). In an article by Brick, (2011), health insurance costs are among the most visible and divisive issues in the political discourse of the early 21st century. For decades, employers were the most common source of health insurance for working Americans. This arrangement has become progressively less common through the 1990s and 2000s. As a private citizen seeking insurance or as an employer looking for ways to afford this valuable benefit, body weight is one way to reduce your premium costs. It’s a matter of risk. The insurance industry runs on analysis of calculated risk. When the company gives you a policy, it bases your rates on how much they think you will cost them. Any factor in your health record or current state of health can indicate a greater or lesser need for health care. Health insurance companies take this date into account when they set your policy premiums. According to Brick (2011), the bottom line is keeping yourself at a healthy body weight. If you are overweight, losing weight until you are in a healthy range may help reduce your health insurance rates provided your health insurance company has policies that allow this. However, if you are already at a healthy body weight, losing more weight will not further reduce your health insurance premium. The growing rate of obesity and the high cost of health insurance associated with it have pressured some states, such as Alabama, to find rigid solutions to the problem. In an eDiet Health News article, Staff Writer, Shawn McKee, states that Alabama, which ranked second in a national obesity survey, is making overweight state workers pay, literally. According to McKee, Alabama is giving its employees roughly a year to start getting in shape or state employees will be charged $25 a month for insurance that would otherwise be free. The plan was approved recently by the State Employees’ Insurance Board. State workers have until January 2010 to get free health insurance screenings. If a problem like high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes or obesity is discovered, then they will have a year to join a wellness program, see a doctor at no cost or improve their health on their own to keep the free insurance. However, if at a follow-up screening they have made no progress, they will lose the free insurance starting January 2011. Alabama already charges those of its 37,527 state employees who smoke an insurance premium and has seen some success in reducing those numbers and is now taking a stand on obesity risk. Some states offer benefits for healthy living, but Alabama is the first state to punish those who do not make an effort to lose weight. This measure is not entirely new as the Japanese recently introduced waistline restrictions that created quite a controversy. This issue is very divisive in that members of the insurance board see fighting obesity trends as a way to get individuals to become more aware of their health whereas employees who are affected by this think otherwise. The war on obesity is being waged on a state level, as well as a local level. In Southern Los Angeles, the city council has voted to halt the building of new fast food franchises, while New York City requires some chain restaurants to post calories on menus (McKee, n.d.).
Conclusion The prevalence of obesity in the American workforce has increased dramatically over the last 20 years and the rates remain high. Because of this, medical costs have increased substantially and employers are exploring avenues in which they can reduce spending. While I support and commend employers for implementing health promotion initiatives in the workplace including weight maintenance programs, compensation for weight loss, etc. I do not believe workers should be penalized for simply being overweight or obese or failing to lose weight. I recommend that employers create more opportunities for physical activities at worksites, and create more awareness of these health programs so that each employee will take advantage of them. Offering incentives for participating in health and productivity programs is a way of encouraging employees to take part in wellness programs and to stay healthy. Finally, I recommend employers also show compassion and humanity towards employees who are considered obese or overweight when making decisions regarding this sensitive issue.
References
Braun Consulting News. (2004). Obesity in the workplace. News on Personnel, Relations and Benefits. Retrieved January 10, 2012 from http://www.braunconsulting.com/beg/newsletters/summer2004/summer20043.html
Brick, J. (2011, May 26). Can losing weight lower your health insurance? Retrieved January 10, 2012 from http;//www.livestrong.com/article/428135-can-losing-weight-lower-your-health-insurance/html.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity among adults in the United States - No statistically significant change since 2003-2004. HCHS Press Room. Retrieved on January 10, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/07newsreleases/obesity.html
Dadhwal, V., Thadamalla, J., Suresh, K., (2010). Tackling workplace obesity: An ethical dilemma for the US employers. Case Study HRM00771RC. Retrieved on January 10, 2011 from http://www.ibscdc.org/Case_Studies/HRM/HRM0077IRC.htm
Finkelstein, E., DiBona V., daCosta, M., Somali, M., Brent, C. (2010). The costs of obesity in the workplace. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. 52/10 971-976
Retrieved on January 10, 2012 from http://journals.lww.com/joem/Abstract/2010/10000/The_Costs_of_Obesity_in_the_Workplace.4.aspx Hutchison, C. (2010, October 8). Obesity in the workplace costs the US billions. ABC News Medical Unit. Retrieved on January 11, 2012 from http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/obese
McKee, S. (n.d.). State’s obesity risk; lose weight or lose insurance. Retrieved on January 11, 2012 from http://healthnews.ediets.com/health-topics/states
Park, J. (2009). Obesity on the job. Statistics Canada no 75001X. Retrieved on December 14, 2011 from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/
Valerie Tubman-Gooding
Shorter University
MGNT 3000
Dr. Craig Cleveland
January 18, 2012
Obesity: A Workplace Dilemma
Introduction
Obesity generally is a touchy, sensitive subject most people try to avoid. The fact remains this subject can no longer be ignored as studies have shown obesity is a greater trigger for health problems and increased health spending than smoking or drinking. Individuals who are obese have 30% to 50% more chronic medical problems than those who smoke or drink heavily (Strum, 2002). For the purpose of this paper, I will be analyzing obesity as it relates to the workplace. Obesity in the workplace is a growing problem with repercussions for employees as well as employers. …show more content…
Employers are concerned about the high cost of the obesity epidemic and employees are equally concerned about discrimination issues associated with it. The good news is, all is not lost; there is still hope for both workers and their employers. I will present disconcerted facts about obesity, show how it is impacting the workplace and offer suggestions as to how employers and employees can tackle this problem.
Literature Review Overweight and obesity are both labels for ranges of weight that are greater than what is generally considered healthy for a given height. The terms also identify ranges of weight that have been shown to increase the likelihood of certain diseases and other health problems. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) overweight and obesity ranges for adults are determined by using weight and height to calculate a number called the “body mass index” or BMI. BMI is used because, for most people, it correlates with their amount of body fat. An adult who has a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight whereas an adult who has a BMI of 30 or higher is considered obese. It is important to remember that although BMI correlates with the amount of body fat, it does not directly measure body fat. As a result, some people, such as athletes, may have a BMI that identifies them as overweight even though they do not have excess body fat. Other methods of estimating body fat and body fat distribution include measurements of skin fold thickness and waist circumference, calculation of waist-to hip circumference ratios, and techniques such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Obesity is on a steady rise among American workers.
A study done by the CDC National Center for Health Statistics showed the number of Americans considered obese in 2001 was 44 million or approximately one in five. This is a 74 percent increase since 1991. Also, the percentage of U.S. adults classified as obese doubled between 1980 and 2000, from 15 percent to 31 percent. In a research article by Park (2009), obesity in the workplace is attributed to many factors such as the combination of a sedentary job and poor eating habits, work stress, and job performance. Stress may contribute to obesity by its effects on behavior and metabolism. When your job is mentally challenging, you can have high psychological demands. This indicates that obesity may be a result of the biological and behavioral effects of stress. Obesity can also be caused by unhealthy coping mechanism such as overeating, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption (Park, 2007). The research by Park also shows, obesity and job performance are correlated. This specific question was addressed for guiding the study - “Last week, did you have a job or business from which you were absent?” Those absent from work and indicating their own illness or injury as the primary reason for absence were considered absent due to a health problem. The odds of being absent from work were almost four times higher for obese young men (18 to 34) than for those with normal weight, after controlling for …show more content…
socio-economic and health-related confounding factors. However, among older men and women, the effect of obesity on illness absence was not found. This may be because many older obese people are already out of the job market and only those who are healthier tend to continue working. The effects of obesity appeared to be quite age and sex specific. To conclude the study in which Park wrote about, obesity affected work absenteeism for young men, but work presenteeism for older women. The findings of this study revealed costs of obesity in several dimensions. Obesity can cause personal stress and long term health problems. Moreover, it can lead to significant societal costs by reducing labor market productivity. More specifically, the implication is that reducing or preventing obesity in the workplace would have multiple potential benefits, including better health and well-being, and higher productivity and better job performance. There are economic costs associated with obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the yearly medical care costs of obesity in the United States are estimated at $147 billion. Recent studies found it is a figure that has ballooned of late, growing by more than 80 percent over a five-year period. This huge cost is due largely to the fact that several diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, Osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, stroke, respiratory problems, depression, etc. are reportedly linked to obesity. Research done by Duke University found that the cost to employers of obesity among full-time employees was $73.1 billion a year (Hutchison, 2010). Per Hutchison (2010), the Duke researchers, by way of the 2006 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the 2008 U.S. National Health and Wellness Survey, estimated the extent to which obesity-related health problems affected absenteeism, work productivity and medical costs. Although previous research examined only the direct health care cost of obesity, Duke University’s lead researcher, Eric Finkelstein, and his associates found that “presenteeism” cost employers nearly twice as much as their medical cost at $12.1 billion a year. According to Finkelstein, numerous studies have shown the high cost of obesity in medical expenditure and absenteeism, but their findings were the first to measure the incremental costs of presenteeism for obese individuals separately by body mass index and gender among full time employees. Presenteeism is the lost productivity incurred when employees try to work despite health problems. Presenteeism was also the biggest cost among employees of healthy weight, but researchers found that obese workers accounted for a much larger share of overall presenteeism, absenteeism and medical expenses. Furthermore, although they represent only 37 percent of the overall obese population, severely obese individuals with a body mass index greater than 35 accounted for 61 percent of all obese employee costs. The study also showed that among employees with a Body Mass Index higher than 40, which is approximately 100 pounds overweight, these costs were $16,900 per capita for women and $15,500 for men in this weight category. According to Dr. David Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine, the study done by Finkelstein and others re-emphasizes that if we do not deal with obesity effectively, there is probably little hope for us dealing with our economy effectively. He also said although these numbers are rough estimates of costs of obesity, capturing data in any way we can is better than ignoring the problem. The data may not be perfectly accurate, however, this study depicts a very accurate picture overall (Hutchison, 2010). In the conclusion of this research article by Hutchison (2010), the greater the obesity in an individual, the higher the medical costs on average, and now with Duke’s new research, this trend appears to extend to workplace costs as well. And while encouraging employees to maintain a healthy weight should be the ultimate goal, diet experts note that any change in the right direction is likely to improve health outcomes for employees and hence productivity, and lower medical costs for employers. It should be noted that these types of statistics could also contribute to discrimination against obese employees. A sad result is that the study provides ammunition for the discrimination that people with severe obesity deal with. Yale University once published a study that showed that people would rather hire a convicted felon, than a person with severe obesity. The study could also have an impact on hiring practices in that if you add science to discrimination, it will be very difficult for people with morbid obesity to find a job. Billions in lost productivity should be the wake-up call to employers to help their employees get fit and stay in good health, and not justification for ridding the workplace of obese workers (Hutchison, 2010). Obesity in the workplace poses an ethical dilemma for employers. In a case study by Dadhwal et al (2010), to minimize healthcare cost, GlobalMinds Consulting, a San Francisco-based consulting firm hired Prime Fitness Management to start on-site mandatory wellness programs for its employees. Most employees were reluctant and considered this to be intrusive. However, fearing penalties, employees began participating in the program. Tim, an obese Senior Consultant who had been with the company for the past four years, came under huge pressure. He suffered from high blood pressure and cholesterol problems. Lately his medical compensation claims had started rising and frequent absenteeism was also being brought to his notice time and again. However, his obesity never affected his work. He had been a good consistent worker. With this new health drive life for Tim got harder. His participation in the wellness program did not help. Three months had passed and he had shown close to no improvement. The consistent nagging from his health coach and stress to reduce weight began affecting his morale. Mike, HR head of his company, told Tim that he was being penalized for not meeting medical screening requirements. His employee health insurance deductible was raised from $500 to $1,250. One of Tim’s colleagues was rewarded with a $2,500 cash prize; Tim felt disheartened, feeling that the company was not being fair to him. The objectives of this case study were to (1) analyze ethical issues involved in tackling workplace obesity, (2) analyze ethical implications involved in changing employees’ lifestyles by using incentives and penalties and (3) to understand the role of both management and employees in making corporate wellness programs successful (Dadhwal et al, 2010). This case points out that there are some issues surrounding obesity in the workplace that pose a problem for employers who are taking action, or considering taking action, to combat this costly trend. The main problems are the perception of discrimination and the possibility of legal action. However, according to Braun Consulting News, the rewards often far outweigh the risks. The risks of taking action are:
(1) The perception by employees that an employer is discriminating against overweight people.
Many employers fear appearing discriminatory and may be fearful in indentifying individuals who are obese because they do not want to be thought of as discriminating against them. A study by Employment Law Alliance showed that nearly half of American workers believe that overweight employees are discriminated against in the workplace. Considering all of these factors there is a concern that companies attempting to tackle this problem may become embroiled in discrimination issues (Braun Consulting News,
2004).
(2) Actual anti-weight-discrimination laws. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that everyone in the United States has a right to employment free from discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Section 7 has been used in weight discrimination cases where weight standards are applied differently to different classes (e.g. women and men), and where weight standards have an adverse impact on a protected class. Other laws protecting employees are the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, The Americans with Disability Act of 1990 and the State of Michigan: Elliot Larsen Civil Rights Act which bans discrimination in employment based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, or marital status.
(3) Lack of participation in the program. Though not actually a risk, one of the biggest challenges facing companies is getting workers to take advantage of fitness programs and other efforts at reducing obesity. Two-thirds of companies surveyed by the National Business Group on Health reported that fewer than 25 percent of their workers participated in their fitness programs. Three out of ten reported that 25 and 50 percent of workers participated and 2 percent said that more than half of their work force participated (Braun Consulting News, 2004).
The rewards for taking action are:
(1) Improvement of the health and productivity of employees. Employees who are overweight and lose weight usually feel better and work better. Participating employees’ quality of life is improved and the quality of their work can improve as well. A healthier employee is usually a happier employee (Braun Consulting News, 2004)
(2) Increase in morale of employees. In a recent poll by the National Business Group on Health more than half (56 percent) of the companies reported increased morale among their work force as a result of their fitness programs and initiatives.
(3) Savings in health care costs. In the same poll mentioned above more than one out of four (27 percent) said their fitness initiatives resulted in savings in their health care costs.
(4) Providing a better workplace and work-life balance for employees. Just as there is a perception that these programs may be discriminatory, the reverse side of this is that these programs demonstrate concern by the employer for the welfare of the employees. The job site is a major part of most people’s day, and it can be one of the prime areas where they can increase their health and fitness. Companies that facilitate and promote fitness can benefit from the knowledge that they are providing a better life for their employees, and that the employees will appreciate this in return (Braun Consulting News, 2004). In an article by Brick, (2011), health insurance costs are among the most visible and divisive issues in the political discourse of the early 21st century. For decades, employers were the most common source of health insurance for working Americans. This arrangement has become progressively less common through the 1990s and 2000s. As a private citizen seeking insurance or as an employer looking for ways to afford this valuable benefit, body weight is one way to reduce your premium costs. It’s a matter of risk. The insurance industry runs on analysis of calculated risk. When the company gives you a policy, it bases your rates on how much they think you will cost them. Any factor in your health record or current state of health can indicate a greater or lesser need for health care. Health insurance companies take this date into account when they set your policy premiums. According to Brick (2011), the bottom line is keeping yourself at a healthy body weight. If you are overweight, losing weight until you are in a healthy range may help reduce your health insurance rates provided your health insurance company has policies that allow this. However, if you are already at a healthy body weight, losing more weight will not further reduce your health insurance premium. The growing rate of obesity and the high cost of health insurance associated with it have pressured some states, such as Alabama, to find rigid solutions to the problem. In an eDiet Health News article, Staff Writer, Shawn McKee, states that Alabama, which ranked second in a national obesity survey, is making overweight state workers pay, literally. According to McKee, Alabama is giving its employees roughly a year to start getting in shape or state employees will be charged $25 a month for insurance that would otherwise be free. The plan was approved recently by the State Employees’ Insurance Board. State workers have until January 2010 to get free health insurance screenings. If a problem like high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes or obesity is discovered, then they will have a year to join a wellness program, see a doctor at no cost or improve their health on their own to keep the free insurance. However, if at a follow-up screening they have made no progress, they will lose the free insurance starting January 2011. Alabama already charges those of its 37,527 state employees who smoke an insurance premium and has seen some success in reducing those numbers and is now taking a stand on obesity risk. Some states offer benefits for healthy living, but Alabama is the first state to punish those who do not make an effort to lose weight. This measure is not entirely new as the Japanese recently introduced waistline restrictions that created quite a controversy. This issue is very divisive in that members of the insurance board see fighting obesity trends as a way to get individuals to become more aware of their health whereas employees who are affected by this think otherwise. The war on obesity is being waged on a state level, as well as a local level. In Southern Los Angeles, the city council has voted to halt the building of new fast food franchises, while New York City requires some chain restaurants to post calories on menus (McKee, n.d.).
Conclusion The prevalence of obesity in the American workforce has increased dramatically over the last 20 years and the rates remain high. Because of this, medical costs have increased substantially and employers are exploring avenues in which they can reduce spending. While I support and commend employers for implementing health promotion initiatives in the workplace including weight maintenance programs, compensation for weight loss, etc. I do not believe workers should be penalized for simply being overweight or obese or failing to lose weight. I recommend that employers create more opportunities for physical activities at worksites, and create more awareness of these health programs so that each employee will take advantage of them. Offering incentives for participating in health and productivity programs is a way of encouraging employees to take part in wellness programs and to stay healthy. Finally, I recommend employers also show compassion and humanity towards employees who are considered obese or overweight when making decisions regarding this sensitive issue.
References
Braun Consulting News. (2004). Obesity in the workplace. News on Personnel, Relations and Benefits. Retrieved January 10, 2012 from http://www.braunconsulting.com/beg/newsletters/summer2004/summer20043.html
Brick, J. (2011, May 26). Can losing weight lower your health insurance? Retrieved January 10, 2012 from http;//www.livestrong.com/article/428135-can-losing-weight-lower-your-health-insurance/html.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Obesity among adults in the United States - No statistically significant change since 2003-2004. HCHS Press Room. Retrieved on January 10, 2012 from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/07newsreleases/obesity.html
Dadhwal, V., Thadamalla, J., Suresh, K., (2010). Tackling workplace obesity: An ethical dilemma for the US employers. Case Study HRM00771RC. Retrieved on January 10, 2011 from http://www.ibscdc.org/Case_Studies/HRM/HRM0077IRC.htm
Finkelstein, E., DiBona V., daCosta, M., Somali, M., Brent, C. (2010). The costs of obesity in the workplace. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine. 52/10 971-976
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