Is Discrimination “at Work” in your Workplace?

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Sex stereotype, girl watching while boy is ready to play You see the resume and have mixed feelings about the candidate. However, since you have a very short list of applicants, shortlisting isn’t really an option and you call the three prospects for a one-on-one interview. Do you allow your judgment to be impaired by appearance ?

Let me clarify here that I’m not talking about looks alone. I’m including physical details such as height, complexion, body type, fitness, etc.

While most of us will brush aside any such assumptions without second thought, according to Wall Street Journal ’s online edition, another recent study proves that fitness fanatics who hit the gym regularly earn up to 9 more more than their lazy counterparts. News anchors discuss the fact that several studies have found links between exercise and income and delve into the causes and effects of the situation as mentioned in the study.

One factor that readily comes to mind is discipline. People who manage their time well ensure they make time for themselves and their health after they have paid their dues to their jobs and families. These people are, therefore, more disciplined, more self-conscious, more performance-oriented and healthier. Moreover, they are better time managers and will be better at completing tasks on time every time.

Most working people can probably relate to not having the time to make it to the gym regularly and therefore skip even the once-a-week jog or walk. But those who do make the time will tell you it’s the best part of their day because exercising gives you renewed strength and energy that one can experience only upon hitting the weights or machines. No matter how low you’re feeling, if you can convince yourself to hit the weights you will soon notice a boost in energy.

The significant difference in pay scales is not owing to the way gym-goers look, the study declares. It claims that the difference is simply in on-job performance, which is a fair criterion for positive job evaluation, annual pay hikes and promotions.

It is also commonly accepted that people who devote time to regular exercise possess better moods, have higher energy levels, display better focus and therefore have a better overall outlook. While this may not always be true, with some not-so-athletic employees consistently outperforming their coworkers, it is a wide-ranging belief that holds true in most circumstances.

Positive discrimination is a reality today. Some employers may be more generous to women; others might have a soft corner for a disabled person. Either way, the key word here is not positive but discrimination. Giving such employers the benefit of the doubt, I must add here that it might even be part of social conditioning to an extent that one doesn’t even realize they are discriminating.

Nonetheless, discrimination is discrimination and should not be condoned under any pretext.

If you’re not one of those people who hit the gym regularly, you might want to think twice about your lifestyle after hundreds of studies point towards a correlation between physical fitness and on-the-job performance. Many people wait too late to start exercising, such as after a heart attack scare, on physician recommendation, or past the age of 60.

By Recruiter.com