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| Monday, 01 August 2011 00:26 | |||||
Discrimination is still quite ubiquitous in today’s work world. We still see women getting paid less than men or those who are physically attractive earning more, and more likely to land leadership roles. In many instances, race dictates a person’s chances for promotion. Another category often overlooked is weight, yet it seems to be one of the touchiest subjects out there. However, when discrimination is based on race, sex or religion, these prohibited grounds are often generally looked upon as dreadful. When it comes to weight, it seems easier for people to socially accept looking down on people who suffer from weight problems or obesity. The stereotypes for overweight people are so vast that various studies have been conducted about them. Results usually produce stereotypes like lazy, sloppy, ugly, socially unattractive, less emotionally stable and less productive. Therefore, it may not be surprising to find out that there are studies proving that overweight people earn less salary than slimmer people. According to the Wall Street Journal, a new study found that skinny women make more money than women of average weight. The same study also found that thin men actually make less money than larger men. Sue Schellenbarger of the Wall Street Journal reported that larger men “earn more as they pack on the pounds – all the way to the point where they become obese, when the pay trend reverses.” Another study conducted at the University of Florida by Timothy A. Judge looked at separate studies of 11,253 Germans and 12,686 Americans and found that women weighing 25 pounds less than the average weight group earn an average of $15,572 a year more than women of average weight. The study also found that earnings for women diminished the more they weighed. For example a woman who gained 25 pounds above the average weight earned an average of $13,847 less than an average-weight woman. On the other hand, the findings for the opposite sex went in the opposite direction. The study found that underweight men earned $8,437 less than average-weight men, and their pay went up as they got heavier. However as they hit obese levels, their pay receded. In case you are wondering, weight-based discrimination in the workplace is not new. The National Post reported in 2009 that obese people faced discrimination at every stage of the employment process, from getting hired to getting fired. Yale researcher, Rebecca Puhl, who did the study, said that obese people are less likely to get a higher pay for equal work. As interesting as these studies sound, it is also possible that employee performance is the underlying mechanism linking weight and income, according to the paper, When it Comes to Pay, Do the Thin Win? The Effect of Weight on Pay for Men and Women, published by Daniel M. Cable of the London Business School. The paper explains that the findings do not prove employer discrimination. The paper pointed out that perhaps the weight-income trends are due to performance in a manner that employees are more able to influence others and accomplish things when they play by the rules when it comes to the media’s idea of a perfect body. According to the paper, employees who conform to the ideal societal image may perform their work better and employers may merely be rewarding good performance without being discriminatory. Sources:
Michele Majul-Ibarra is a Compliance Officer with Canada Post Corporation, specializing in Human Rights and Conflict Management. She graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology and a Certificate in Human Resource Management. She also has a professional designation, C.I.M. (Certified in Management) awarded by the Canadian Institute of Management through the University of Manitoba. Find Career Connexion by Michele Majul-Ibarra on Facebook. Have a comment on this article? Send us your feedback
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