Health and the Workplace

Scott Adams found that many readers of his book, How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big, considered “diet and exercise inappropriate "filler" for a book on success”. Adams being Adams wrote a blog explaining why they were wrong:

“Studies show that exercise and diet have a huge influence on brain health. You need your brain for most occupational challenges...Stating the obvious, healthy people have fewer sick days than unhealthy people...Depending on your sporting preferences, exercise might be a great networking tool as well...Exercise and proper nutrition have a huge impact on your stress levels. And you know you don't operate efficiently when your body is in stress mode.”

Hard to argue with any of that. Except we don't look at things that way. Adams blames the media for that:

“I blame the media for putting diet and exercise in the "vanity" bucket while hard work and education are in the "success" bucket.”

This reminded of an episode of Boston Legal where Denny Crane fires an employee for, well, being fat. And so, of course, she sued the firm. Alan Shore defends Crane in the courtroom:

“In fact more employers should draw a harder line on obesity...65 percent of American adults are obese. It’s one of the leading causes of death in this country. The health care costs run about 117 billion dollars a year.”

And since you can find a study in support of anything:

“Given this new study at Harvard...Simply having fat friends can triple your risk of becoming obese...If obesity is contagious through social networking, then maybe all employers have a duty to their employees to weed out the heifers! And maybe it’s about time to put aside our inflated sense of political correctness and practice a little tough love with our friends and families. Say to a loved one, “You’re fat!” Tell a friend, “You look like a hippo. On the verge of a heart attack.” Shock them into going on diets, not just to save themselves, but possibly their friends and coworkers. That’s all Denny Crane was trying to say, and perhaps he should to be applauded for it.”

When both Alan Shore and Scott Adams argue in favour of something, it's hard to resist it, even if it is politically incorrect.