Leaders often describe their organization as “agile,” “nimble,” “responsive.”

But if an organization’s culture is the sum of its behavior, few of your employees are lively and quick.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than one billion adults globally are overweight, at least 300 million of them clinically obese. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates more than 63% of Americans are overweight or obese.

Study after study shows that overweight workers cost themselves, their colleagues and their organizations plenty:

• Lost work. Overweight and obese employees miss more days from work due to short-term absences than healthy employees, and these unfit employees also may work at less than full capacity.
• Higher insurance costs. Employers pay higher life insurance premiums and spend more for workers’ compensation for overweight and obese employees.
• Lower wages. Some studies indicate that obesity is associated with lower wages and lower household income.

It’s true that CEOs lose their jobs every year because they failed to hold their employees accountable to the performance expectations of boards and shareholders.