Body image in the boardroom
In a society that encourages men to be productive and women to be pretty, it’s time to step into our power and block out the noise that prevents progress.
BY MARCI WARHAFT
“It’s not such a big deal; everyone deals with it.”
That’s what I’ve been hearing from people about the issue of negative body image since I started speaking out about it 15 years ago. It’s become so common for people to be unhappy with their appearance that it’s not even considered a problem.
The issue of negative body image has always been misunderstood, and its impact on all aspects of our lives highly underestimated. While the topic of mental health has been brought out into the open over the last few years, and we’re being encouraged to share our struggles with things like depression and addiction, body image and eating disorders are still not given the attention that’s required.
This is especially true when it comes to the workplace.
In her book, The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf wrote, “A culture fixated on female thinness is not an obsession about female beauty, but an obsession about female obedience.” Her point is that we live in a patriarchal society that consistently criticizes women for how we look, sending us on a never-ending quest to correct our imperfections and live up to the unrealistic expectations they’ve created for us.
I believe it comes from a place of insecurity and fear. They hope that if women are preoccupied with how they look, they’ll be too busy to take over the world (or at least their jobs). The answer has to come from us. We need to avoid the damaging influences that drain our energy and divert us from our goals.
Have you ever had those days when your clothes fit just right, your hair is doing what it’s supposed to and you’re just feeling comfortable in your own skin? On those days, we tend to stand a bit taller, smile a bit more, and give off a positive energy that can be felt by the people around us. But what happens when instead of feeling confident in our bodies, we feel at odds with it? How does the way we feel about our bodies impact our performance and success at work? The answer might surprise you.
According to a Horizon Media study published in 2020, negative body image affects nearly 1/5 of people in the workplace. The study also showed that people who felt confident about their bodies were 75% more likely to say they were extremely happy in their careers, and twice as satisfied with their success and progress, versus those who suffered from negative body image. Nearly 70% of employees battling these negative feelings felt that their lack of confidence had resulted in missed career opportunities.
People struggling with negative body image tend to blame themselves for their lack of success, which only intensifies their feelings of insecurity and low self-esteem.
Effects of negative body image at work:
- Lack of confidence can hold us back from applying for the jobs we want or requesting a raise at the one we’re already at.
- Not feeling good about ourselves can keep us from engaging with people at work, which can result in missing out on valuable information circling the workplace.
- If we skip work related social events because we don’t want to socialize, we can miss out on creating important connections with others in the company.
What's the solution?
Human nature makes us believe that the answer is to turn our energy towards physical self-improvement by throwing ourselves onto a new diet or fitness fad. In reality, focusing on our perceived flaws is not the way to go. The last thing we want to do is promise ourselves a better life “once we lose the weight’. There’s nothing wrong with deciding to live a healthier lifestyle and making the changes necessary to do that. But do it so you can feel better, not to change the way you look to other people.
- Do not put off applying for your dream job until you’ve lost an amount of weight you think will make you appear more qualified for the position. Apply now! Pushing yourself to take on more responsibility will remind you of the skills and abilities you possess.
- Buy clothes that fit the body you have. Nothing feels more uncomfortable or disheartening than trying to squeeze into clothes that no longer fit. Instead of wasting energy worrying about a few extra curves, get yourself a few new pieces that look great on you now. Keep in mind that human bodies are allowed and even supposed to change over time. Criticizing yourself for something that is completely natural is only going to impede your progress.
- Take a course or learn a new skill! Take the focus OFF how you look and redirect it to what you can accomplish.
What about the role of the employers?
If employers want to see a boost in productivity, they need to take responsibility for creating a happy and healthy workplace. What they seem to lack is the awareness that people don’t leave their body image issues at home. They bring them when they walk into the office.
- Create a safe and supportive environment where employees feel comfortable sharing issues they may be struggling with, instead of trying to hide it.
- Avoid all appearance related comments. A seemingly harmless comment to one person can be crushing to someone else
- Diversity. Is your company filled with cookie cutter versions of each other? Take a step back and acknowledge any prejudice or fat phobia you may be harboring and make a conscious effort to fix the issue.
- Does your company’s dress code need revamping? Make sure you allow a range of dress or uniform options. A comfortable employee will be a more productive one.
We live in a society that encourages men to be productive and women to be pretty. Men are emboldened by a history that perpetuates the myth that they are better suited for positions of authority, while women should stick to more supportive roles.
Those days are over, or at least, coming to an end. Women are coming into their own power and blocking out the noise of those who are afraid of progress. For us to keep moving forward, we need to reject the ridiculous physical ideals that society, the media, and history have laid on our shoulders and release ourselves from unrealistic beauty expectations.
As we become more confident in ourselves, we will pave the way for succeeding generations who will continue to break through one glass ceiling after another. DEFY
Marci Wahrhaft
Marci Warhaft is a Coach and recognized expert on body image and self-esteem. She is also the author of The Good Stripper: A Soccer Mom’s Memoir of Lies, Loss and Lap Dances where she shares in raw, honest and intimate detail her eye-popping journey to self discovery and The Body Image Survival Guide for Parents. Marci is the host of the How to Ruin Your Own Reputation podcast and continues to be an outspoken advocate for self-confidence in an image obsessed society.