Healthcare HR Leaders’ Unique Role in Supporting Employees Living with Obesity

As Healthcare HR Week wraps up, we are celebrating the dedication of human resource (HR) professionals in healthcare organizations across the country. 

With healthcare organizations making up several of America’s best large employers, HR leaders in this field play a vital role in prioritizing obesity care within the workplace. By recognizing obesity as a chronic disease, addressing weight bias and stigma, and supporting employees through obesity care benefits, these leaders can cultivate positive environments where employees living with obesity can thrive.  

obesity’s impact in the workplace  

Beyond the disease’s physical impacts, obesity takes a toll on employees and their employers: 

• Women with obesity are less likely to be promoted at work.  

• Women affected by obesity earn as much as 12% less than women not affected by obesity. 

• One-third of women said that living with obesity impacts their work and career goals. 

• Obesity costs employers approximately $425.5 billion annually. 

how HR professionals can destigmatize obesity 

HR professionals’ involvement in fostering workplace inclusivity was highlighted in a 2024 webinar and fireside chat, hosted by Latesha Byrd, CEO of Perfeqta, and featuring Millicent Gorham, CEO of the Alliance for Women’s Health & Prevention (AWHP), convener of the EveryBODY Covered campaign, as well as Katrina Jones, Founder of Advancing Equity + Inclusion. Focused on HR leaders and employers, the webinar and fireside chat, titled “Destigmatizing Obesity in the Workplace,” discussed best practices for supporting employee needs and advocating for comprehensive obesity care in health benefit plans.  

The experts explored the impact of obesity on women’s workplace experiences, emphasizing the importance of incorporating strategies like educating employees on weight bias and using inclusive person-first language to change the status quo surrounding obesity in the workplace.  

Given obesity’s direct impact on employee health and well-being, it’s important to recognize the unique positioning of HR leaders–particularly those in healthcare–in advocating for inclusive policies and benefits that treat obesity like the chronic disease it is. These professionals can lead the charge in ensuring that healthcare organizations are not only offering coverage for comprehensive obesity care but also promoting inclusive environments essential to employee wellbeing.  

To learn more about HR professionals’ role in obesity care in the workplace, you can watch the full webinar session here. 

additional steps employers can take to support employees living with obesity 

A recent open letter delivered to executives at top workplaces for women, signed by a coalition of over 65 healthcare organizations, led by AWHP and EveryBODY Covered, outlines key principles for employers to prioritize obesity in their workplace healthcare and equity strategies.