Weight-based stereotype threat in the workplace: consequences for employees with overweight or obesity

Abstract

Background/Objectives Employees with overweight or obesity are often stereotyped as lazy, unmotivated, and less competent than employees with normal weight. As a consequence, employees with overweight or obesity are susceptible to stereotype threat, or the concern about confirming, or being reduced to, a stereotype about their group. This survey study examined whether employees with overweight or obesity experience stereotype threat in the workplace, whether it is associated with their perceived ability to meet their work demands (i.e., work ability), and whether high levels of knowledge about one’s self (i.e., authentic self-awareness) can offset a potential negative association. Subjects/Methods Using a correlational study design, survey data were collected from N = 758 full-time employees at three measurement points across 3 months. Employees’ average body mass index (BMI) was 26.36 kg/m² (SD = 5.45); 34% of participants were employees with overweight (BMI between 25 and <30), and 18% of participants were employees with obesity (BMI > 30). Results Employees with higher weight and higher BMI reported more weight-based stereotype threat (rs between 0.17 and 0.19, p < 0.001). Employees who experienced higher levels of weight-based stereotype threat reported lower work ability, while controlling for weight, height, and subjective weight (β = −0.27, p < 0.001). Authentic self-awareness moderated the relationship between weight-based stereotype threat and work ability (β = 0.14, p < 0.001), such that the relationship between stereotype threat and work ability was negative among employees with low authentic self-awareness (β = −0.25, p < 0.001), and non-significant among employees with high authentic self-awareness (β = 0.08, p = 0.315). Conclusions The findings of this study contribute to the literature by showing that weight-based stereotype threat is negatively associated with employees’ perceived ability to meet their work demands, particularly among those employees with low authentic self-awareness.

Acknowledging the ramifications of weight-based stereotype threat in the workplace

“…According to Vanhove and Gordon (2014), overweight and obese employees experience greater amounts of negative work-related outcomes such as lower employment and income when compared to employees who are considered to be of a normal weight. Zacher and Von Hippel (2021) found that employees experience stereotype threat related to their weight and that weight-based stereotype threat is associated with employees experiencing lower self-perceived work ability. Currently, this is one of the only studies to explicitly examine the relationship between weight-based stereotype threats and overweight employees' self-perceived work outcomes.…”

Thriving at Work: An Investigation of the Independent and Joint Effects of Vitality and Learning on Employee Health and Well-Being

“…Data for this study were collected as part of a larger data collection effort with five measurement waves, and three other studies based on the same dataset, but with completely different research question and completely different substantive variables, have been published (Weiss & Zacher, 2022;Zacher & Rudolph, 2022;Zacher & von Hippel, 2022). The five measurement waves consisted of one initial survey that asked questions regarding demographics (Bensemmane et al, 2018).…”

Work ability and anthropometric indices correlate with cardiovascular risk factors in public sector employees: Cross‐sectional study

“…Study has reported a correlation between job capacity limitations and several factors such as musculoskeletal discomfort, chronic illness, absenteeism, premature retirement, and overall mortality 3 . Overweight or obesity employees are often subject to negative stereotypes, such as being seen as lacking in motivation, laziness, and lower levels of competence compared to employees who have a normal weight 4 . Reduced WA may indicate cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), physical, mental, and social instability 5,6 .…”

“…obesity employees are often subject to negative stereotypes, such as being seen as lacking in motivation, laziness, and lower levels of competence compared to employees who have a normal weight. 4 Reduced WA may indicate cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), physical, mental, and social instability. 5,6 Physical, mental, and social instability can lead to negative weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-hip ratio, obesity, and related health hazards.…”