The authors of a 2008 meta-study described the obesity-related costs (that take such a toll on society as a whole) as “astounding.” “Obesity and Presenteeism: The Impact of Body Mass Index on Workplace Productivity” found that “the annual presenteeism cost for moderately or extremely obese workers was $1783.81, which is $506 higher than the cost for other workers.”
The study’s subject groups categorized as moderately and extremely obese experienced the highest absenteeism, averaging 91.08 absentee hours “for personal health reasons.” Financially, presenteeism is dreaded because…
[…] absences do not necessarily cost the employer the full value of the worker’s time to the extent that these are unpaid absences and that other workers are able to cover the missing shifts. Meanwhile, presenteeism is always a cost to employers because the worker is receiving a full paycheck despite reductions in productivity.
All in all, this accounts for a sizable chunk of the annual $900 billion that American employers pay for medical expenditures.
As numerous other studies have confirmed, the price paid by businesses for employee obesity is up there in the mega-bucks range. Unfortunately, much more work is needed on the minutiae of “Why?” When the cost derives from absenteeism and/or medical services rendered, this is easily understood.
What seems elusive is the exact process by which, when obese employees are involved, presenteeism (showing up for work but underperforming) is so wasteful. Is it just that they move more slowly when picking up a phone or straightening a stack of papers? Do they take longer lunch breaks, or spend more on-duty time moving back and forth to the snack machines? Do they fall asleep at their desks? What, exactly, is the issue?
Employees are on the job, but not functioning effectively because of medical or psychological conditions. But how does this manifest? We are told that the moderately and extremely obese workers experience the most limitations, as measured by the time needed to complete some tasks, and sheer inability to perform others.
In a broad sense, that tracks. If employed as a ballet dancer, a person with a BMI of over 35 would obviously fail. But how does the extra poundage inhibit or prohibit, for instance, a journalist? Presumably, the fingers on the keyboard would still be just as fast and accurate.
The particular questionnaire utilized in this study comprised 25 items falling into four categories:
The time scale addresses difficulties with meeting job expectations and scheduling demands. The physical scale focuses on workers’ ability to perform their normal job tasks as influenced by bodily strength, movement, endurance, coordination, and flexibility. The mental-interpersonal scale examines cognitive tasks, sensory input, and interactions with others. The output scale focuses on the quantity, quality, and timeliness of meeting job demands.
But the details involved in particular office tasks are not described. We know what the workers in a warehouse do. They move heavy physical objects from one location to another, which presumably requires an energy expenditure that helps prevent them from putting on weight. (Although, don’t count on it.) Still, a job in a plant or warehouse environment usually implies the ability to bend, stretch, squat, push, and walk.
But in an office setting, how heavy is a pencil or a file folder? Someone in the Information Technology department might need to lift a computer once in a while, but in general, what physical task is so daunting that a worker in the top obesity classification would be slowed down, stopped, or injured by its performance?
Okay, the IT person probably has to get under a desk now and then, to check on or reorganize some wiring. For a morbidly obese employee, this would be a struggle, costing time and possibly medical expenses.
It is easy to see why fitting beneath a desk, in the category of physical demands, could be problematic. However, seemingly, it would also qualify as a time issue, because the other employee who should be using that machine to complete work is unable to. Adding insult to injury, hashing out these procedural details adds to the time it takes to finish such studies.
Your responses and feedback are welcome!
Source: “Obesity and Presenteeism: The Impact of Body Mass Index on Workplace Productivity,” Academia.edu, 2008
Image by Pexels/Pixabay
FAQs and Media Requests: 
