Is Obesity in the Workplace Your Responsibility: An Employers Guide To Overweight in the Workplace

Public Health England revealed that in 2015, 62.9% of adults were overweight with 26.9% of adults obese. More concerning, however, is that by 2050 obesity is predicted to affect 60% of adult men, 50% of adult women and 25% of children.

The health risks related to obesity are well-publicised. It can lead to type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, strokes and cancer as well as many other health conditions. Obesity is also associated with various cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension and high cholesterol. Obesity in the workplace can lead to both safety risks and lost productivity. Implementing workplace policies and creating a healthy worksite environment are crucial steps in obesity prevention.

Some underlying health issues can occasionally contribute to weight gain. However, obesity is generally caused by consuming more calories – particularly those in fatty and sugary foods – than are burnt off through physical activity. Therefore, health promotion activities such as encouraging fitness at work are ways employers can help.

It is an increasingly common problem because for many people modern living involves eating excessive amounts of cheap, high-calorie food and spending a lot of time sitting down at desks, on sofas or in cars limiting the burning of calories. As an employer, you need to keep an eye on overweight employees and where possible encourage them to maintain health in the workplace. Employers can also support weight management programs to help employees maintain a healthy weight.

So far there has been no legal case in the UK where an employee has successfully claimed against an employer for their obesity being caused by work. However, there are significant workplace costs associated with health and obesity in the workplace. Occupational health initiatives can help mitigate these costs. For an organisation employing 1000 people, this could equate to more than £126,000 a year in lost productivity due to a range of health issues.

Whilst you do not have an obligation to ensure that employees enjoy a healthy lifestyle in their own time, it would be beneficial for work environments to encourage and support awareness and improvement of the health of overweight employees from a moral perspective. Employers can also follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote physical activity and healthy eating in the workplace.

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states employers must, as far as reasonably practical, protect the health, safety and welfare of employees. Employers must consider the safety implications of overweight employees and ensure that they can still carry out their role safely for themselves and others who could be affected in the event this is compromised.

Employers should also consider the principles of occupational and environmental medicine to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for all employees.

For workforce wellbeing, ensure healthy food is available to employees through facilities such as canteens or vending machines. Comprehensive health promotion programs can also support this initiative.

Arranging work events and parties that involve low-impact exercise or healthy eating rather than high-calorie meals in restaurants or consuming alcohol.

Encouraging employees to move around, take regular rest breaks and facilitate physical activity and fitness at work in general. This can be supported through workplace design and planning the duties and activities of staff to address sedentary work where possible.

Workplace health promotion programs can help improve worker productivity and reduce absenteeism.

Overweight employees may have mobility issues when using stairs or walking. As with any other employees who have mobility issues, you must ensure they can safely evacuate in an emergency. Obesity can also increase the risk of occupational injuries. You may need to consider a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) for them.

Work equipment must be suitable for overweight employees using it e.g. can obese employees safely use machinery? Can they reach emergency stops or alarms? Are office chairs, step ladders, work equipment etc, suitable for the dimensions of the individual and their physical capabilities?

Personal protective equipment must be fit for purpose too; it must fit obese employees and they must be able to use it correctly, with its intended protective purpose not compromised.

Obese employees may also suffer from other health conditions such as musculoskeletal disorders or breathing difficulties. You must ensure that those conditions are not exacerbated by the activities they carry out. Associated sleep problems could cause fatigue and impact on alertness, this may pose a potential danger to wellbeing in the workplace; such as with employees who drive or operate machinery for example.

Employers can use health risk appraisals to identify and address the specific health needs of overweight employees.

When handling obesity and the workplace as with all other employees, individual factors must be considered. Promoting a healthy weight can help improve overall employee wellbeing. Regardless of the size or health of anyone in your workplace, you must ensure they can work without risk to their health and safety and arrangements must facilitate this.

Whilst it is good to encourage wellbeing at the workplace, employers should ensure that this is part of a strategy that applies to all staff and that overweight employees are not made to feel stigmatised, embarrassed, victimised or discriminated against. Employers may want to consider ongoing training to combat prejudice and discrimination against obese employees and factor equality and diversity awareness training into their arrangements.

A means to support employees as an aspect of employer arrangements with any of the issues mentioned would be through an Employee Assist Program, which provides qualified, competent advice, counselling and support to assist the well-being of staff. Employers should also consider the various risk factors associated with obesity when designing workplace health programs.

For more information about managing obese employees, staff welfare and workforce wellbeing, please contact the Avensure advice line on 0330 100 8704.