Bosses admit fat a hiring factor
*One in three reluctant to hire obese person
*Concerns about workplace productivity
*Australia now fifth-fattest nation in the world
MORE than one in three Australians are reluctant to hire an obese person.
A national survey, conducted by leading human resources firm Talent2 and involving nearly 2000 respondents, found employers are worried about how a clinically obese person would perform in the job.
The study, which anonymously took in employees from all levels of the corporate ladder and across all industries, showed only 44 per cent would not be hesitant to employ an obese person.
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But 36 per cent were concerned about how the excess weight would have an impact on workplace productivity.
Nearly half of all participants believed overweight people took a higher number of sick days, and almost 40 per cent said fat employees didn't present well at high-level client meetings.
Talent2 director John Banks admits that the survey's findings didn't overly surprise him.
"Presentation in work and certain industries is a major influence in making hiring decisions and is necessarily a part of the culture and image of a business," he said.
"There is a perception that people that don't look after their presentation have a number of potential issues that could be brought to work, and that may have an impact on hiring."
Policing of the issue is difficult, as anti-discrimination laws fail to specify it is an offence to discriminate against someone based on their physical appearance.
According to the World Health Organisation, the clinical definition of obesity applies to those who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
New statistics released last week confirmed that Australia is the fifth-fattest nation in the world, with almost one in four adults classed as obese.
Chris Bonino, 43, of Wetherill Park, used to be one of these people, after having recorded a BMI of 42.
Embarking on a drastic weight-loss program through SureSlim, which saw her lose 50kg in 10 months, Ms Bonino says, after experiencing first-hand the way people treated her, society does judge on physical appearances.
"They don't mean to, but their body language suggests they do," she said.
"They have a good look at you and think that all aspects of that person's life must relate to what he or she looks like, and that is just so incorrect."
Interestingly, more than 49 per cent of those aged 55 and over were hesitant to hire a fat person, compared to 23 per cent of Generation Y respondents.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22774638-421,00.html
