
Heightism At Work: How Height Discrimination & Height Shaming Creates Shorter Career Opportunities, Lower Paychecks, Smaller Salaries, Stunted Job Responsibilities, And Reduced Respect.
Being a shorter man myself, I have learned first-hand about heightism (prejudice or discrimination against someone based on their height, usually in men) from a young age. As a child or teenager you are less likely to be chosen for sports, less likely to garner interest from the opposite (or same) gender, and more likely to be bullied or ignored by peers. Kids can be cruel, and anyone who is perceived as different or weak can become a target. This is unfortunate, and even worse that it doesn't stop during childhood. Height shaming pervades into high school, college, and into the real world as well even in 2024.
But did you know that heightism carries over into all stages of adulthood and even into the workplace? Heightism can negatively impact your career, and doesn't have any preventative measures in place that someone facing religious, gender, racial, disability, ageism, or sexual orientation discrimination might have due to legislation and workplace policies. It can often result in shorter men (and women) feeling like they have to work harder and overcompensate for their “limitation”. I have personally experienced this many times in my 20 years of working in the US in a variety of different industries. Heightism has been a noticeable factor in entry level, mid-level management, consulting, and entrepreneurial work even in 2025.
It should not be that way in business. It should be a purely merit-based environment where the quality of one's work is what's important, not height discrimination biases. Unfortunately the actual working world isn't so simple and heightism is a real factor.
Legal vs “Illegal” Height Discrimination
Almost all heightism at work is completely legal and the chances of getting your height discrimination case taken seriously by a judge, lawyer, jury, or even your own HR department is incredibly low.
The only real situation where heightism is “illegal” and a lawsuit can be filed is if you can prove that height requirements for a certain job were specifically created to exclude women and minorities from consideration. This has been the case in some military and police positions, but height requirements have luckily relaxed over the last couple of decades.
Most height discrimination is subconscious bias, behind closed doors, behind your back, or in text / email / water-cooler jokes… and its all completely legal. Let's take a look at why your short stature is often held against you legally at work, even in 2024.
The Napoleon Complex
Being a shorter man in the workplace or on the battlefield was made famous and ridiculed since 5'7″ French military leader Napoleon Bonaparte went on a warpath hundreds of years ago. This started the “Napoleon complex” label of short men having to be overly aggressive to make up for their shorter stature. The term Napoloen Complex (or now Short Man Syndrome / Short Man Complex / Short King / Manlet) is still to this day used jokingly any time a shorter man displays ambition and assertive behavior. Now that there is a new Napoleon movie, this stereotype for vengeful short individuals is back in the limelight. Don't get me started on the hit job of film that just came out, making the outcome of the Napoleonic wars look like a fluke and the work of an awkward unstable fool.
How Hard Is Heightism To Deal With At Work Compared To Other Discrimination?
Now let me be clear, heightism isn't more important than other types of workplace discrimination, and in a lot of cases it is far less significant compared to other types of workplace discrimination. I repeat, heightism is not usually as bad as other types of workplace discrimination such as racism, sexism, homophobia, and prejudice against ethnicity or religious beliefs just to name a few. This article is not trying to say otherwise.
The point of this post is that you can't ignore that heightism in the workplace is a real problem with real negative consequences for shorter individuals. And there isn't anything in place to alleviate the issue for the foreseeable future.
While heightism is much less severe than other forms of workplace discrimination, heightism could be compared with discrimination against obese individuals or those with other cosmetic “imperfections” (as conveyed by the media and popular culture, not by me).
The real difference is that you can lose weight and get cosmetic procedures done (not that you should, but that you could if you really wanted), but there is absolutely no way to get taller. You can have all of the money and determination in the world but you can't increase your height, aside from brutal bone lengthening surgical procedures that will do nothing besides causing pain and debilitation over time.
3 Reasons Heightism Hurts Careers
Here are some of the ways that heightism can hurt your chances in the workplace:
1. Less Leadership Opportunities
Tech vs Non-Tech Business Leaders
Note that the exceptions to the rule that I just named above, and other successful short business leaders like Sergey Brin, Gary Vaynerchuk, Jack Ma, Kevin O'Leary, and Satya Nadella are all either in the tech industry or are company founders / owners. Overall though most CEO's and business leaders are tall men.
Politician Height In The United States
Height Impact In Acting And Athletics
2. Lower Average Salary
Along with less leadership opportunities and a more conscious or subconscious discrimination comes lower pay. A study in Australia found that taller individuals make an extra $1,000 per year, but US and UK studies found that taller men earned an extra $800-1,000 per inch of height above average!
Yes that is mostly the result of not reaching the highest levels in the C-suite or boardroom, but not completely. Bosses may decide that regardless of your role in the company, you deserve to be paid less or given smaller / less frequent raises. They may think that you have less options to leave the company and therefore don't need to be compensated as much as a taller person in your same situation. Maybe they count on you having lower self-esteem and just accepting your current job responsibilities and compensation.
Whatever the psychological reasoning, the fact is that on average taller people earn more than shorter people.
3. You Are The Target Of Office Jokes
Much like the sexism that a lot of women face in the workplace, a shorter individual is “damned if you do and damned if you don't” in certain work scenarios. Some women are unfairly viewed as “bossy” if they show ambition and backbone while male counterparts are viewed as “assertive' in the same situation. If they don't show ambition then they are considered pushovers.
Shorter men that show ambition and assertiveness are labeled as having a Napoleon complex. And if they don't show ambition, they are considered “beta males” and largely ignored for promotions or raises. You're damned if you do, damned if you don't.
A lot of taller men and women don't even want to work for a man that is shorter than them and often don't show them the same level of respect. In some cases, shorter individuals even become the butt of office height shaming jokes. If you are the target of height-shaming jokes in the workplace, chances are it will hurt your potential to move up in the company. Heightism harms job opportunities and you can't really debate it.
Shorter guys and shorter women really do get the short end of the stick when it comes to office politics and gossip. Height shaming still runs rampant in the workplace, so don't turn a blind eye in your work space.
Don't believe me about heightism harm at work? Just check out the height shaming posts on Reddit, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and most dating websites. Many women have a shortist policy of not dating anyone short than themselves, and definitely not dating men under 5'10 or 6′ in height. Some go as far as saying that men under six feet tall shouldn't exist. And remember the Randy Newman song lyrics “short people have no reason to live” which is a joke to some and an acceptable line referenced by many.
Don't Let Heightism Hinder Your Career
While your shorter height can threaten to limit your career options, you can't let it thwart your potential. Here are some options to avoid the negative impacts of heightism on your career opportunities and earnings:
– Work as hard as you can, but don't get used
– Become an indisputable expert in your field
– Be accepting and respectful of everyone
– Know your worth and stand up for yourself
– Stay out of unnecessary office gossip and politics
– If you aren't respected where you work then find somewhere else
– Create your own job or business if needed
– Rise over size! Stop sizeism and shortism
Work For Yourself Remotely Or Build A Digital Business And Avoid Heightism Entirely
Height discrimination is far from the only reason why I have transitioned to remote and entrepreneurial work over the last few years, but I will admit it definitely was a factor. Luckily working for myself remotely over the past couple of years has worked out for me, and I have earned 2-3x the annual income I made in my previous two office roles spanning about 6 years in length.
Heightism In Certain Industries Is Getting Less Prevalent Due To The Internet, Technology, And Remote Work
While heightism will always be an issue to a point, it is getting a little less severe in some professions because of internet innovations. There is so much work done over the phone, email, internet, video chat, text message, and other mediums that often times you never even see the people you are working with. If you do, it is just a thumbnail, headshot, or a cropped video of them from the waist up.
The internet has become a great equalizer for shorter people and anyone else that may face some level of height discrimination or other discrimination based on appearance. The better software, laptops, smartphones, cell phone signals, and Wi-Fi strength get means less in-person business and reduced potential height discrimination.
And now with the health crisis increasing remote work positions, heightism may slowly become less of an issue for some business professionals… at least for a little while. The global health issues will eventually become more manageable, and then some people will be back to work at the office IRL. But working remotely and WFH will be a long-lasting or permanent trend for many people, which is probably a benefit for many shorter men and women.
Be Accepting And Empathetic To Everyone At Work
Although we have made a great deal of progress in the last century, there is still a lot of discrimination in and out of the workplace. One of the worst things you can do as a shorter person is to be offensive or discriminatory to anyone else. You must be as accepting, empathetic, and inclusive as possible inside and outside of the workplace.
Everyone's Experience With Heightism Is Different
This is just my own experience with heightism in and outside of the workplace as a 38 year old male in the United States. Other men will have different experiences, especially if they are older, younger, or work in different industries. Someone working in sales or management might deal with heightism more than someone working in accounting or computer programming. Shorter stature could be more of an issue for a police officer or construction worker than a mobile app developer working in Silicon Valley.
Someone who is 5'0″ will probably have a different experience than someone who is 5'7″. A man who is 5'5″ will have a different experience in the U.S. or UK than they would in a country where average male height is much lower such as Mexico or China. Everyone's experience with heightism is different and should be respected.
Heightism For Shorter Women In The Workplace
Women may have similar or different experiences as their short male counterparts. Many women certainly have to deal with much more than height discrimination so that may not be their primary concern. Unfortunately sexism, sexual harassment, and glass ceilings are usually more pressing issues that women face compared with height discrimination. That's a very sad and sobering fact and it shouldn't be that way at work for anyone.
But yes, heightism can also negatively impact women on top of every other obstacle they have to deal with at work. I don't claim to speak for anyone or compare my heightism experiences with anyone else's other prejudices faced, I just want to also put a spotlight on the issue of height discrimination towards both men and women in the workplace.
Little People Face Much Tougher Height Discrimination
While men as tall as 5'7″ and women as tall as 5'2″ can face heightism at work, it can be much more severe for little people that are well under 4'10” in height. Height discrimination towards those with the medical condition of dwarfism can become a much bigger issue in the workplace. So if you are just a little shorter than average height and you think you have it bad at your workspace, know that a little person has it much harder. It is hard for little people not to feel height discrimination if their desk, office equipment, or other workplace items aren't easily accessible due to their shorter stature.
Some politically incorrect height shamers even use the offensive terms “midget” and “dwarf” when describing little people, or even those slightly below average in height like myself. As an example, it's a term that's been used to belittle me during childhood, high school, college, and in multiple workplaces throughout my 20's and 30's. This name calling is unacceptable but unfortunately it still occurs in this day and age for countless individuals. I apologize for using the “m” word in this article and mean no disrespect or offense, but I think it is justified in the context of this article defending little people and shorter individuals that often deal with that word often in their lives. I know I have personally been called the M-word a few hundred times in my life (and those are just the instances that I know of) and I expect to be again in the years to come due to unmitigated shortism.
Heightism Can Affect Tall People As Well
In the spirit of fairness and inclusivity, yes heightism can negatively impact taller people in their workspaces as well. Very tall men 6'6″ or taller and women over 6′ can stand out among other employees and can become the targets of jokes or stereotypes as well. Workplaces aren't always equipped to handle much taller men and women and it can lead to an uncomfortable workplace experienced. Height discrimination can even more significantly hurt much taller women since they may stand out more, and some men may be threatened by their stature. Very tall men in the workplace may end up having metaphorical targets on their back if other men and their egos are threatened by their size, and that is not fair either.
But overall heightism almost exclusively hurts the careers of shorter men and women. Taller men aren't usually joked about as often or to the same extent because their height often makes them more physically imposing, and the same could be said about women to a certain extent. Short guys and shorter women again get the short end of the stick on height discrimination at work.
Heightism Can Heighten Other Forms Of Workplace Discrimination
As mentioned earlier in this article, there are many other forms of discrimination inside and outside of the workplace. Unfortunately, heightism and sizeist bias can often add to existing discriminatory actions or biases at the office or workspace. If you are a shorter man or woman, you could be a bigger target for discrimination or biases for gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Height discrimination can compound the issue of other more serious discriminations such as sexism, racism, antisemitism, ageism, and homophobia if your coworkers are so insecure and predatory that they view you as a weaker target of their bullying or bias. It's happened to me many times and I know plenty of others that have dealt with secondary discrimination due to being perceived as easy targets.
Help To Hinder Heightism At Work
Overall I hope I have helped to convince you that heightism is in fact a real and serious issue, or that you can relate from personal experience. Heightism is not just another “ism” and trigger from a snowflake generation that can't take criticism, it is actual discrimination. Regardless of your experiences with heightism or sizeism at work, I cannot emphasize this enough: be as accepting and inclusive to everyone in your workplace. That is the only way that heightism and other forms of workplace discrimination will be reduced over time. Together we can help to minimize heightism hate in 2024 and beyond. It is time to rise over size in the office or workplace throughout your career!