PROBLEMS OF EMPLOYEE APPEARNCES AND CUSTOMER PERCEPTION
S/ EMPLOYEE APPEARANCES CUSTOMER PERCEPTION
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1 Discrimination Based on Attractiveness Diverse Customer Expectations:
Employees perceived as less attractive Customers have varying expectations
may face discrimination in hiring, regarding what building a relationship
promotions, and workplace treatment. with a company means. This includes
The preference for "attractive" aspects like mutual trust, tailored offers,
employees can lead to biased hiring and economic benefits. Understanding
practices that disadvantage qualified these diverse perceptions is crucial for
candidates. effective relationship management.
2 Legal Ambiguities Economic Focus
Current U.S. laws do not explicitly Customers emphasize the economic
protect against appearance-based aspects of their relationships with
discrimination, making it difficult for companies. Many view relationships as
affected employees to seek legal opportunities for discounts or mutual
recourse. profit, indicating that companies must
The employment-at-will doctrine allows ensure their value propositions align
employers to terminate employees for with customer expectations.
appearance-related reasons without
legal consequences, unless linked to
protected categories like race or gender.
3 Lack of Awareness and Rights Gender Differences:
Employees may be unaware of their The study reveals gender-specific
rights regarding appearance preferences in customer relationships,
discrimination, leading to exploitation where women generally express a higher
and unfair treatment in the workplace. openness to building long-term ties.
There is a need for better education Companies may struggle to tailor their
about civil rights laws related to strategies to meet these differing
appearance and attractiveness. perceptions effectively.
4 Cultural and Societal Pressures Lack of Direct Feedback
Societal norms and cultural biases place Previous research has often overlooked
a premium on physical appearance, direct customer feedback on their
influencing employer hiring decisions perceptions of relationship-building
and workplace dynamics. efforts, leading to assumptions that may
This can perpetuate stereotypes and
reinforce existing prejudices, leading to not reflect actual customer views.
a cycle of discrimination.
5 Ethical Implications Limited Customer Loyalty
The moral implications of Despite companies investing in CRM
discriminating based on appearance systems, customers often display a lack
raise questions about fairness and of loyalty and willingness to return,
equality in the workplace. influenced by their experiences and
Employers may struggle with balancing perceptions of the service quality.
business objectives with ethical
considerations regarding how they treat
employees based on appearance.
6 Impact on Workplace Diversity Impact of Market Dynamics: The
perception of customer-company
Favoring attractive candidates can relationships may vary significantly
hinder diversity efforts, as specific across different markets and industries,
appearance standards may favor certain complicating the formulation of a
demographics over others. universal strategy for customer
This can result in homogenous work relationship management (CRM).
environments that do not reflect the
broader society.
Sources:
Employee Appearances
Frank J. C., Stephen C. Muffler and Bahaudin G. Mujtaba, (2012). “Appearance discrimination
in employment, Legal and ethical implications of “lookism” and “lookphobia”.
Cuustomer Pereption
Agnieszka B., Barbara B., & Anna Z., (2021). “Customers’ Perception and Company-Customer
Relationship”. Lubin University of Technology.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352336126