Weighty impact: How GLP-1 meds are reshaping workplace dynamics and healthcare costs
For many people, especially women, GLP-1 drugs aren’t just changing their weight — they’re changing how they’re treated at work.
That reality — revealed in a recent survey by weight management system Levity of 1,000 women on the weight-loss meds — reflects how the U.S. workforce is undergoing a significant shift because of the drugs, from workplace respect to career opportunities.
Zoe Lees, medical writer at Levity, found the most surprising data from the study to be that nearly 1 in 5 women report being treated with more respect at work after weight loss. “This validated the idea that weight bias still exists in the workplace, and that appearance (not just competence) still influences workplace respect, especially for women,” she said. “This raises concerns about pressure to pursue medical weight loss for social acceptance and underscores the need for more inclusive workplace cultures.”
What challenged researchers’ initial expectations was “the depth of internalized bias — many women felt more confident speaking up and willing to pursue leadership opportunities after losing weight,” she said. That illustrates how weight bias affects not just external treatment but also self-perception and potential. The study revealed that younger women (millennials and Gen Z) were slightly more likely to report positive changes in respect and confidence compared to their older colleagues.
The study also unearthed a telling disparity: While 19% of women report increased professional respect after using GLP-1s, only 1% got promotions. “The gap between increased respect and limited promotions suggests a critical truth: social acceptance often improves faster than systemic change,” Lees said. “While women may experience more day-to-day respect after weight loss, promotions are tied to more tangible factors like performance evaluations and ingrained workplace hierarchies.”
Beyond a shift in perceptions, another recent study suggests that these medications may dramatically transform workforce health and bend the healthcare cost curve.
Aon plc, the global professional services firm, recently conducted the first-ever large-scale analysis of GLP-1 treatments focused on workforce impact, studying more than 50 million commercial claims over a span of three years.
The findings are compelling: GLP-1 users had a 44% lower chance of severe cardiovascular events. After initial treatment costs, the long-term medical spend grows more slowly, with Aon noting a 7% improvement in spend growth for GLP-1 users in the second year.
Obesity is an escalating global epidemic, impacting nearly 40 percent of U.S. adults, contributing to more than 60 chronic conditions and costing the U.S. economy up to $1.72 trillion annually. For many who use them, GLP-1 meds have proven nothing short of a miracle — leading not only to dramatic weight loss but to lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels in diabetics.
“When you consider the indirect costs of obesity, such as the treatment of comorbidities and absenteeism, the overall economic burden is striking,” said Farheen Dam, head of health solutions for North America at Aon. “Our preliminary insights show that GLP-1s — when paired with a well-being and adherence program that includes nutrition, exercise and mental health resources — can reduce long-term healthcare expenditures and even enhance workforce productivity.”
For HR professionals, these findings suggest important considerations in benefits planning. Building on data from its study, Aon is piloting a new benefit for its U.S. employees that offers GLP-1 drugs at a heavily discounted rate.
“Making this investment is essential to delivering value and achieving results,” said Lisa Stevens, chief administrative officer. “We’re proving that it’s possible to offer access to GLP-1s affordably and with dignity — and that doing so can benefit both people and the bottom line.”
The personal impact of these medications extends beyond just the numbers.
Norma Frahn, who operates two businesses — On Demand HR Solutions, an HR consultancy, and Mind Body Plate, a coaching practice focused on helping people with food and weight issues — has witnessed this transformation firsthand. After leaving her corporate HR role and losing more than 100 pounds, Frahn now specializes in helping small businesses, particularly female-owned ones, where owners sometimes struggle with visibility due to weight concerns.
“I don’t believe that I became a serious HR person because I lost weight — I gained confidence in myself and my ability once I stopped feeling like I was being judged because of my weight,” she said. “When that went away, I think the real me kind of came out, and then I started to become taken more seriously.”
For HR people navigating this domain, Frahn suggests education and awareness. “If it’s something that the healthcare vendors that you’re working with provide, educate above and beyond what they provide,” she said. She emphasizes the importance of partnering with healthcare vendors to address supply chain issues and insurance coverage challenges.
Ultimately, Frahn believes true change begins from within: “I had to develop self-respect before anyone else was going to respect me at that level. And that was the difference. The self-respect had to come first.”