The implications of telework for employee obesity

Purpose Obesity is a serious workplace issue that imposes considerable burdens on both employees and organizations. Notably, its prevalence increased significantly among employees transitioning to working from home during the recent pandemic. As telework, whether full-time or hybrid, is poised to become a standard feature of future workplaces, it is imperative to examine its impact on obesity thoroughly. This scoping review explores how telework influences employees’ obesity, a topic that has been insufficiently addressed in management literature. Design/methodology/approach This study is a scoping review. Scopus was used to identify studies in the field. In total, 17 papers published in the last two decades were examined. Findings The results showed that the effects of telework on employees’ obesity are understudied in management research. There is heterogeneity related to these effects. Employees’ habits and lives are significant factors that explain these effects. There are differences related to socioeconomic and sociodemographic characteristics. Moreover, most examined outcomes are related to employees’ health. Organizational outcomes are overlooked in the reviewed studies. Practical implications This study provides insights and recommendations for researchers, managers, HRM practitioners and policymakers. Prioritizing interventions and strategies to prevent obesity among teleworkers is necessary to ensure employees’ health and the sustainability of their careers and performance at work. Originality/value There is a shortage of studies examining the effects of telework on employees’ obesity. Most studies are from health sciences, and these effects are largely ignored in management literature, especially within human resource management (HRM). At the same time, this field is expected to be a natural home for this topic, as it concerns employees’ health and has a significant impact on their behaviors and performance at work. This study adds evidence and broadens the scope of occupational health and human resource management research.