Let them eat cake – as long as performance is not impaired

Since when did it become an employer’s responsibility to look after the health of individuals, simply because they are overweight? This could be down to any number of reasons and, provided it doesn’t affect their work, there is no problem.

People can still look well-presented and neat regardless of their size. After all, you are what you are. By the same token, all the laws in the world cannot change people’s perceptions of how they want their friends and colleagues to look.

By being so stringent in our anti-discrimination and health and safety efforts, we could be making rods for our organisations’ backs. For instance, how long before a ‘large’ person contracts a size-related illness, and tries to sue their organisation for not advising them to lose weight?

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

Email(Required)

OptOut

From time to time, we will send you emails about selected products, events and services from Personnel Today and OHW+ - but you can choose to opt-out at any time. If you do not wish to receive these emails, please tick this box.

Name

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Δ

Can’t we trust people to look after themselves any more?

Annette Smith
HR/admin manager
Peerless Europe