36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities
Potential Impact Chart
Summary charts are very helpful when candidates or nominees are compared on multiple
criteria. The ratings in the summary chart below are predictions or expectations you make
on the basis of what you know about the nominees and the Strategic Plan goals.
On the chart below, rate each of the candidates on a scale from 1 to 5 (1 = low, 5 = high)
in terms of their potential to impact or contribute to each of the Strategic Plan Goals. Sum
the ratings for each nominee in the margin to the right of the chart.
……………………… FiscalF HospitalH Board-Hosp Hosp-Comm Hosp-Agency Board
. Rep & Mgt Morale Community. Relations Relations Relations
. Relat
Drake Covington II
Charles Wong
Peter Skylar
Lamarr Leroy Woods
. Layla Amini
Carmen Diaz
Sue Novenski
Katherine Dobbs Courtney
A. Examine your ratings totals for the nominees and rank order them in the margin to
the right of the chart from greatest to least potential (1 = the greatest potential
impact). Did your impact ranks differ from your diversity ranks? Explain.
2. …………………………….………………………………. 4. …………………………….…………………………………
C. Which criteria (ranks) were most important in your final decision – your diversity
considerations or some or all of the other Strategic Plan goals? Explain.
36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities
IV – 60
Additional Assignment 3: Consequences of Diversifying
A. Are there any criteria (diversity strategies or goals) that are not as well
covered by your top four candidates as you might have liked (e.g., age,
hospital-community relations, etc)? Explain.
B. If your four final choices are appointed to the Board, how might the hospital
or Board address these weaknesses?
Suddenly diversifying this Board could meet with resistance from current members
all at the same time – and in a large segment of the Board at that – this is a lot of
change to cope with for both the Board and the hospital CEO.
transition policies employed.
Teaching Tips
In light of the class discussions regarding the factors to be considered in making the
choices, further assignments (written or group discussion) might be made to:
a) develop a plan or prioritize criteria for Board selection.
b) reconsider how the Development Committee should ease the transition.
This exercise might be related to the McIntosh article (#7) on privilege and to the Parker
article (#8) on differences and conflict. This is also an opportunity to revisit Fahy’s
article (#30) on social class, e.g., How might social and/or cultural capital impact new
Board members’ performance?
Board Nominations. Boards do not advertise for Board members. Membership is by
invitation – by who you know. The average person is rarely invited to sit on Boards.
Although the eight nominees differ from each other on many dimensions; all were in
circumstances where they knew someone influential and thereby gained the privilege of
36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities
being considered for Board membership. Ask students to examine the kind of social
capital, i.e., sources of nominations of the eight nominees.
Nominees Nominators
Drake Covington II uncle on the Board
Layla Amini cousin, a state senator
Carmen Diaz group of doctors
Charles Wong hospital union
Peter Skylar state regulatory agency
Sue Novenski patient advisory committee
Katherine Dobbs Courtney mayor
Lamarr Leroy Woods hospital CEO
Current Board Members. Consider too, the other eight men already on the Board and the
male privileges they enjoy.
Note: Not everyone is familiar with boards and the question may arise as to why someone
would want to be on a board of trustees or a board of directors. Board members of
nonprofit or public agencies generally are not paid. Service on these Boards is considered
a social or public service and board members may be expected to contribute money
and/or expertise to the organization. There are benefits however, to sitting on nonprofit or
public boards – benefits such as prestige, public recognition and networking opportunities
with community leaders.
Board members of for-profit organizations are paid and sometimes very well for very
little work. According to Brooker (2002)
…One part of the equation that hasn’t changed over the decades is the
reward side. It’s all there—the prestige, the networking, and of course
the nice retainer. According to executive-search firm Spencer Stuart,
some 5,500 people serve on the boards of companies in the S&P 500.
They get paid an average $37,000 a year and make an additional $1,200
per meeting. Big companies like Citigroup and Coca-Cola pay $125,000
a year. In return, directors are expected to spend 100 to 150 hours on
company business. That’s not a bad deal. But that hourly rate can drop
precipitously when something goes wrong.
In the wake of recent corporate scandals, board members have found themselves on the
hot seat publicly – sometimes facing a great deal of work and sometimes being the object
of lawsuits.
36. Choosing the Board: Charting the Course with Competing Priorities
IV – 62
Sources
Brooker, K. (2002). Director. [Electronic version]. Fortune, 145, no. 10, 113-115.
Orlikoff, J. (1997). The Seven Deadly Sins of Ineffective Governance. [Electronic
version]. Healthcare Forum Journal, 40, no. 4, 38-42.
“White” Names Give Job Seekers an Edge. In Rothenberg, Paula. Race, Class and
Gender in the United States, An Integrated Study. (6th ed., p 226). New York: Worth.
37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace
APPEARANCE AND WEIGHT DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE
M. June Allard
Assumption College
Worcester State University, Professor Emerita
Goals
• To foster understanding of the effects of appearance and weight discrimination
• To examine the law regarding appearance and weight discrimination
• To examine relationships among weight, gender, race, and age dimensions of
diversity
Pedagogy
This article is appropriate for graduate and undergraduate classes in diversity
management, ethics, human resource management, and social responsibilities courses.
Outline of Key Points
I. Appearance
A. Workplace
B. Appearance Standards
C. Appearance Law
II. Weight
A. Weight Standards
B. Is Fat Albert Overweight or Obese?
C. Weight Law
1. Obesity and Disability
2. Medicare
D. Weight Ties to Wages, Gender, Race, and Age
III. Conclusion
37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace
IV – 64
Global Note ……………………………………………………………….World Wide
Between 1980 and 2010, obesity doubled in every region of the world. Today, half a
billion people (12 percent of the world’s population) are obese.
Boekma, 2012
Calculating the Bio Medical Index
To approximate your BMI, divide your weight in pounds by the square of your height in
inches and multiply the answer by 703. For an updated, more precise measurement, use
the web calculator that bases your BMI upon your weight and height, and takes your
gender and age into account (Halls.MD, 2011). Individuals fall into one of five
categories, based on their BMI values:
Diagnosis Body Mass Index
Underweight 18.4 or less
Normal 18.5 – 24.9
Overweight 25.0 – 29.9
Obese 30.0 – 39.9
Morbidly Obese 40.0 and over (Facing serious health problems)
Best Practices
The Los Angeles Police Department relaxed its limitations on fat (22 percent for men and
30 percent for women) to attract new recruits. The new recruits came, but so did their fat.
The department now has a full time dietician working with everyone.
_____
The Consigli Construction Company of Milford, Massachusetts designed a wellness
program to fit its competitive company culture. It includes gym memberships, in-house
weight competitions, nutritious snacks, and group exercises. Employees completing
blood pressure and cholesterol testing can win up to $400 in reduced insurance
premiums.
37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace
IV – 65
Discussion Questions and Answers
1. What are the pros and cons of an airline implementing a policy that heavier
customers need to buy a second seat?
Pros
Cons
2. What can organizations do to counteract the high costs of employees who are
obese?
Employers are creating programs to promote good health. At some companies,
37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace
3. Should television networks and stations set appearance and weight standards
for news reporters, newscasters, weather forecasters, etc.? Why or why not?
Should these standards be different for males and females?
There will likely be differences of opinion on setting appearance and weight
standards for news people.
Writing Assignment Number One
Hiring obese employees does increase organizational costs. Investigate these
costs and write a report that details how much obesity increases costs.
Starting Sources
Bell, M. & McLaughlin, M. (2006). Outcomes of appearance and obesity in
organizations. In Konrad, A. Prasad, P. & Pringle, J. (Eds.) of Handbook of
workplace diversity. pp 461-462. Mason, Ohio: Thomson South-Western.
Minerd, J (2007, April 24). Obese employees weigh heavily on bottom line.
Medpage Today. Retrieved July 22, 2007 from
www.medpagetoday.com/Pediataics/Obesity/tb/5490.
Leopold, R. (2004, August 2). Reining in the rising cost of obesity. Managed
Healthcare Executive. Retrieved July 29, 2007 from
www.managedhealthcareesecutive.com/mhe/articleDetail.jsp?id=134273.
37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace
Writing Assignment Number Two
Investigate various “wellness program models” used by organizations. Write a
report describing the costs and benefits of these models and identify the
features that are important to the success of wellness programs regardless of
the model used.
Starting sources
Hanna, L. (2011, August 4). Guidelines for wellness programs.
http://employerLINC.com/2011/08.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (2013). A model wellness guide
(draft) http://www.mass.gov (Search: A model wellness guide in the
search box)
Shemkus, S. (2013, March 3). Wellness programs pay off in the workplace.
Boston Globe. P.p. G1, 6.
Global Notes……………………………………………………….…….….…Sweden
A female job applicant at the Volvo car company was rejected because she was 3 cm
(1.18 inches) short of the company-required height of 163 cm (64.17 inches). With
one-fourth of the Swedish female workforce falling below this minimum height and
only 1 to 2 percent of the males being as short, the Swedish Labour Court found the
requirement to be discriminatory and ordered damages paid to the female plaintiff.
…………….……………………………………….…………………………….China
Applicants for managerial positions in the China National Packing Import and Export
Corporation, a large organization operating in 68 countries, are very thoroughly
investigated through interviews, testing and background investigations extending
from their school days through their most recent employment. The main employment
requirements however, are university degrees, age under 35 years, and minimum
height of 1.70 meters (5 feet 5 inches) for men and 1.60 meters (almost 5 feet 3
inches) for women.
Why is there a height requirement for managers? The company’s HR explained that
managers reflect the company’s image and so they should be tall, fit, and good
looking.
Brainine, 2011
37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace
D Diversity on the Web
When business discriminates against “customers of size,” there are costs to good
will for the business as well as costs to the customers themselves.
1. Research the crash of US Airways Express 5481 on Jan 8, 2003 shortly
after take-off from the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North
Carolina. Note: Notice the youth of the pilot (age = 25) as well as the weight
issue.
Wald, M. (May 13, 2003, Section A, column 1). Weight estimates on air
passengers will be increased. http://www.nytimes.com
New flight risk: Obesity? (January 30, 2003, News, p. 12A)
http://www.usatoday.com
2. Research the implications of a policy that people have to declare their
weight before boarding a plane.
Warren, M. (2004, November 6, News, p.1). Cost of fat air passengers takes off.
The Daily Telegraph, London. Retrieved September 5, 2007 from
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/index.html.
Southwest Airlines forces larger passengers to buy two tickets
www.cswd.org/docs/airlineseating.html.
Southwest Airlines’ policy concerning overweight travelers
www.everything2.com/index.pl?node_id=1343085.
Smith, A. (2006, December 8). Should overweight consumers pay extra
for services from Southwest Airlines & other businesses?
www.associatedcontent.com/article/95247/should_overweight_
consumers_pay_extra.htm.
37. Appearance and Weight Discrimination in the Workplace
Points of Law
When obesity is not a disability, there is no federal legal protection against
discrimination. Under ADA law, obesity is an impairment and employees who
qualify as morbidly obese are allowed to request reasonable accommodation from
their employers which may include (but is not limited to) making facilities readily
accessible, job restructuring, modifying work schedules, reassignment to a vacant
position.
Did you know ……………………………………….about the Beautiful People Dating Websites?
There are a number of “Beautiful People” dating websites. Members are voted in if they
are judged to be beautiful enough. BeautifulPeople.net, for instance, is a large one with
9,634 U.S. members.
38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate
FAIRFAX METROPOLITAN HOSPITAL:
THE CANDIDATE
M. June Allard
Assumption College
Worcester State University, Professor Emerita
Goals
• To examine the issues of weight and youth discrimination
• To illustrate legal and social issues in hiring decisions
• To consider personnel decisions such as selection from multiple perspectives:
management, Boards of Trustees, human resources, candidates, staff, patients
Summary
Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital is a moderately-sized teaching hospital seeking to diversify its
staff – a need identified by several accrediting agencies. As still another accreditation visit
looms, Fairfax must replace the head of the nursing unit, a department in urgent need of
modernizing.
The Search Committee is interviewing a remarkably qualified candidate named Dr. Saryn
Soysa. Dr. Soysa, originally from Sri Lanka, has been educated in U.S. universities. She is a
very pleasant, very heavyset, young woman. At 32, she is very young for a Director of
Nursing position. The Search Committee is very impressed with her credentials, but clearly
concerned about her age (youth) and her weight. The HR Manager fears that the hospital CEO
will share these concerns.
The HR Manager faces an ethical decision and a business decision as he decides whether or
not to hire her.
Teaching Tip
An interesting way to start the class on the topic of weight and appearance is to go to the
website below for the Susan Boyle video. If you have any difficulties with this link, just
search for “Susan Boyle,” but be sure to select a version where she just sings without any
introduction. Then, either minimize the computer projection in the classroom, so that students
cannot see the video or ask students to close their eyes and just listen to the singer. While
Susan has a remarkable voice, her age, weight, and appearance are often surprising to students
who expect a young attractive vocalist.
Next, ask students to write down words that describe the person that they just heard, i.e., how
old is she, what does she look like, etc.? Surprisingly, many younger students have not heard
of Susan Boyle and will not recognize her voice. She is often described as young and
beautiful, etc.
38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate
IV – 71
Ask the class to share their answers aloud. Then replay the video. Introducing the topics of
weight and appearance in this manner will give context to the discussion of weight and
appearance in the Fairfax case.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fS4v5_T5PA&feature=related
Discussion Questions and Answers
1. Generate a list of possible actions the HR manager might take.
2. Which action(s) would you suggest as the most appropriate for the HR manager?
Why?
3. Are there legal issues here? Explain. (See article #37, Appearance and Weight
Discrimination Issues in the Workplace in the text.)
Age. Students may respond that age is a legal issue in this case because it is a protected
4. If Jorge hires Saryn, what message is he sending to the hospital staff? If he doesn’t
hire her, what message is he sending?
If Jorge hires Saryn, he is sending the message that people will not be discriminated
38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate
5. If Jorge hires Saryn, what problems is she likely to face? What problems will Jorge
likely face?
Saryn’s problems may arise from several sources:
From the staff, there may be resentment, especially if there were in-house
Jorge’s problems may also arise from multiple sources:
From the search committee, may come resentment if they did not recommend hiring
6. What resources does Saryn have for dealing with the problems? What resources does
Jorge have for dealing with the problems?
Saryn has a number of personal resources upon which she may draw. She brings to the
position personality and administrative skills as well as high intelligence. She undoubtedly
38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate
IV – 73
Additional Assignments (not in text)
1. Research the business costs and considerations in decisions involving weight.
2. How will weight affect future business and ethical decisions? Research how much the
average American weighs and the upward trend(s) of weight in males and females.
Starting sources:
Colliver, V. (2007, April 24). Study finds obesity takes an economic toll on
workers, firms. San Francisco Chronicle. www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.
Marcum, K. (2007, July 25). All in a day’s workout. Worcester Telegram &
Gazette. p.D1. www:telegram.com/business.
Smith, A. (2006, December 8). Should overweight consumers pay extra for
services from Southwest airlines and other businesses?
www.associatedcontent.com/article/95247.
Yi, D. (2007, March 12). For many employees, fitness has its prize. Los
Angeles Times. www.latimes.com/business.
38. Fairfax Metropolitan Hospital: The Candidate
Diversity on the Web
Social Costs
There are considerable social costs including stigma, prejudice, and discrimination,
for those who are obese.
1. Research these costs noting the interrelationships of obesity, gender, age, race,
and social class.
2. How do those factors impact Saryn right now?
If she is hired, how might they affect her in the future?
www.obesityresearch.org [2001, v.9, p.788]
www.nytimes.com [click: a) December 2, 2006
b) Business
c) Darlin, Damon]
3. This case primarily involves the factors of weight and youth. Go to the
following website and take the IAT test for weight (i.e., “Fat–Thin”). Also take
the IAT test for Age (“Young-Old”) and compare the two results.
4. There are those who feel that the bias against weight is stronger than the bias
against race. Take the IAT test for race and the one for skin-tone and compare
these results against those from your tests for weight and age.
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit
39. Section IV. Integrative Questions
INTEGRATIVE QUESTIONS FOR SECTION IV
1. If social class can have a pervasive effect on one’s life experiences, how could one’s
social class impact other aspects of primary and secondary diversity such as age, parental
status, and military experience, etc.?
2. Assume that you are a mentor to an employee who came from a low class background.
She is bright and has career potential. However, you recognize that some elements of her
behavior such as the way she speaks, her dress, her manners, and her communication
patterns will prevent her from advancing to the next level in your organization. How
could you help her?
3. The Fairfax case is very unique because it illustrates how younger workers, who are not
legally protected from age discrimination, can experience negative stereotypes. What can
they do on their jobs to try to offset the negative perceptions that some people have about
young workers?
4. The selections made in the Choosing the Board exercise should result in a more diverse
group. Thinking back to the article The Emotional Connection of Distinguishing
Differences and Conflict, what types of positive and negative conflicts could result? How
could these be reduced or avoided by effective diversity leadership?
5. Today, many veterans returning from military service in the conflicts in the middle-east
are returning with severe physical and mental challenges. Even those without these issues
are experiencing higher unemployment rates than non-military people. How can military
training and experience be translated into a workplace asset for both groups?