Fat in business" campaign
Good-looking, fit - and slim: that's the norm. Those who don't fit in are often rejected in the workplace. The pme Familienservice Group is doing away with stereotypes and promoting a positive approach to obesity in the workplace with its "Fat in business" campaign.
In mid-May 2019, the "Dick im Geschäft" campaign was launched under the hashtag #dickimgeschaeft with various activities on social media, here on the Work:Life:Blog and at pme locations across Germany.
The pme Familienservice Group is the first company to actively speak out against weight discrimination in the workplace.
CEO Alexa Ahmad:
"In our company, there is no exclusion of an applicant or team member on the basis of body weight. What counts for us is what each individual can contribute to the workflow. Soft skills such as the ability to work in a team, creativity, customer orientation, in short: a passion for the job and enjoyment of the work are far more important than body size. We show that we are the employer where applicants and our team members can feel comfortable in their own skin."
Salary bonuses and promotions: no overweight people!
According to a 2018 report by Ärzte Zeitung , discrimination against overweight people is omnipresent in everyday working life. For example, companies often do not employ overweight people in customer contact or put them at a disadvantage in other areas.
Researchers from the UK and Australia found in a study (2012) that overweight women have a particularly difficult time in the job market. Personnel managers often preferred the slimmer candidate with the same qualifications. The study shows that obese people are often passed over for salary bonuses and promotions. Overweight people are a group that is frequently subjected to bullying without being a minority.
The results of the DAK XXL Report (2016) show that dealing with one's own body image is a problem for many people: In Germany, one in four adults between the ages of 18 and 79 is obese - that's 16 million people. While being slightly overweight is usually still accepted in society, obese people in Germany are often ostracized and stigmatized.
Target group Childcare staff
With its campaign, the pme Familienservice Group is primarily addressing people who work as caregivers. With over 60 childcare facilities throughout Germany, more than 30 locations and around 30,000 cooperating caregivers, the pme Familienservice Group is one of the largest private providers of comprehensive company childcare. Of course, applicants for jobs in the household sector, administration, IT and much more are very welcome.
Postcards with positive slogans such as "You suit us in every way" and "We love every bit of you" were distributed at the Didacta education fair in 2019. People can use these postcards to apply directly for a job - online or offline.
"In principle, we give all applicants the option of sending a passport photo. We have had good experiences in the past, as the reasons for not sending a photo can be very different," says Alexa Ahmad.
Fat and healthy - of course it's possible!
The pme Familienservice Group offers its team members a comprehensive range of healthy food, seminars and fitness courses as part of its health management program: "We offer salad and fruit every day. Our HR department also has great benefits: various fitness offers, job bike leasing and more. Our aim is not to get our team members to lose weight, but to keep us all healthy and fit".
The focus is on mental health: "If you are bullied or looked at in a funny way every day or simply have to listen to funny comments, it is very hard for an overweight person. Being constantly teased is hard on the psyche," explains Alexa Ahmad. Open and friendly interaction is therefore particularly important at pme Familienservice.
You can find out more about the "Dick im Geschäft" campaign on the Facebook page, the Instagram and YouTube channel and on the pme website Familienservice.
Homepage: www.familienservice.de/dickimgeschaeft
Facebook (pme Familienservice): www.facebook.de/familienservice
Facebook (Familienservice Learning Worlds): www.facebook.de/familienservicelernwelten
Instagram: www.instagram.com/pme_familienservice
Would you like to apply for a job at pme Familienservice ? You can find all vacancies directly at: Vacancies
