The ethic of care: an HR strategy to address obesity in the workplace

摘要

According to a Gallup study, one in four US workers are obese, and this has significant costs for employers because of increased health-care costs, higher absenteeism, and lower productivity. In addition, according to the Center of Disease Control (CDC), the medical costs for obese individuals were $1,429 higher than for those of normal weight. What is also troubling is the alarmingly high rate of obesity in the transportation and healthcare sectors. Based on those findings it is safe to say that human resource (HR) departments need to find a strategy to combat workplace obesity, and ensure that workers lead a healthier lifestyle. Some have argued that HR departments are not playing a large enough role on this issue and this article will propose an ethic of care approach that they can adopt to help workers lead a healthier lifestyle.