Overweight employees are disadvantaged in the workplace 02 January 2007 14:37
If you had a few too many mince pies over Christmas then it may be time to get yourself down to the gym – evidence has emerged that being fat harms your career.
A survey of Britain's bosses by consultancy the Aziz Corporation found that overweight people are disadvantaged in the workplace.
Eight in 10 senior managers believe there is a prejudice in business against people who are seriously overweight.
Seven in 10 believe that overweight people are seen as lacking self-control, energy and drive.
And the same percentage says fit people are better able to cope with the stresses and demands of a senior business role.
Aziz Corporation chairman professor Khalid Aziz said: "This research reveals that appearance matters in business – and that weight is one of the key factors in appearance.
"The competitive nature of business and securing a senior role means that appearance can be make or break."
In October 2005, an exclusive Personnel Today survey of more than 2,000 UK-based HR professionals revealed that almost half thought that obesity negatively affected employee output, with more than a quarter believing that obesity was becoming a problem in their industry.
Greg Pitcher
That is just not right.
