As part of ASPIRE – an EU funded project addressing obesity and unemployment in France and England – C3 in collaboration with our ASPIRE partner VIF, has written a practical-guide to help employers better understand and prevent weight based stigma, both in the recruitment process and within the workplace itself. Download the practical-guide for free.

How does the practical guide help prevent workplace stigma?

The guide supports employers and organisations prevent weight-based stigma in the workplace by:

• Offering insights from individuals with lived experience of weight-based stigma in the workplace. Providing personal stories that give go beyond statistics to the human impact of stigmatisation.
• Positioning organisations as key actors in developing a more inclusive society as well as benefitting from increased diversity in the workplace.

The practical guide will cover six topics:

1. Obesity and health: being aware of generalisations
2. Overweight, obesity and physical ability
3. Personality traits: judgements and assumptions
4. Encouraging diversity within teams: an asset for organisations
5. Progression and promotion opportunities: including employees living with obesity and overweight
6. Experiencing or observing weight based stigmatisation or discrimination: how to take action

During my career I have received several comments about my size and shape by colleagues such as: “Well if you just move more!” or “Have you tried dieting before?” One colleague remarked “Well, considering you’re a health professional, you’re not much of a role model, are you?” I believe that when you carry additional weight and have a visible disability, people think it’s their duty to inform you about your wellbeing for your own good – they forget that the expert in the room is me. I often feel decision-making in the workplace is based on disability and/or biases.

-Adele, Midwife

Surprising Facts and Figures:

Did you know….

• Organisations with inclusive teams make better business decisions 87% of the time, twice as fast, with half the meetings – and decisions executed by these teams deliver 60% better results.
• Evidence shows that a pay disparity exists – employees living with overweight/obesity receive reduced wages even after all other factors are taken into account.
• The work environment plays a significant role: shift work, working patterns, sleep disorders, stress and sedentary behaviour are all risk factors for overweight/obesity.

Download the practical-guide and learn how you and your organisation can better tackle weight based workplace stigma!

If found this useful why not check out our ASPIRE – toolkit? With resources – including workshop guides, a cookbook and more – that make it easier for people to eat better, move more and take care of their wellbeing.