Most companies think they’ve nailed the DEI formula, otherwise known as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. The focus (as it rightly should be) is largely on gender, race, and culture, with employers actively seeking out enough representation across these categories. Still, with all this talk of diversity, we often neglect one key marker – body diversity. Nabbing your dream job may have more to do with how you look than you think.
Fairygoodboss, an employer review site for women, presented a report titled ‘The Grim Reality of Being a Female Job Seeker’, based on a survey conducted among hiring professionals and employers. The women had different body types, skin tones, and hairdos, and dressed differently. The eye-opening report revealed that the women most likely to be selected were young, thin, and light-skinned. Among the adjectives used for the heaviest-looking woman, were ‘lazy’ and ‘unprofessional’. Only 18 per cent of the employers saw leadership qualities in her and only 15.6 per cent said they would consider hiring her.
Yaashvi Singhal, a 27-year-old Front Office Manager from Uttarakhand, faced issues finding a job because she was somewhat on the heavier side. “Everywhere I went, I was unabashedly asked to lose weight, because my job required meeting customers. It didn’t matter that I was impeccably groomed, dressed well, was confident in my skin, and, most importantly, I’m hardworking and great at what I do. They couldn’t look beyond the fact that I was a few pounds heavier.”
It took Singhal 26 months of hunting, job rejection, and depression before she finally found a job that valued her skill sets more than the way she looked. “The stereotype of a heavy person is that they lack motivation, they’re unhealthy, and also, weirdly lacking in intelligence. This bias is completely unfair and I think human resources, as well as top leadership in companies, should be sensitised towards body diversity and inclusion in the workplace.”
If thinner women are more pleasing to those that are hiring, the same applies to women with lighter skin tones. Viola Davis has said she’s lost roles due to colourism. But it isn’t just showbiz that wants a peaches-and-cream complexion on the women they hire; it happens across professions and careers. Cultural values in India perpetuate discrimination, where darker women are viewed as coming from a lower caste or socio-economic strata, therefore likely to be lesser educated, not well-spoken, or qualified enough for a job. Not only does this deny opportunities to meritorious women, but it also impacts their self-confidence.
Colour, weight, and one’s overall appearance can provide unfair advantages to some, as far as employability is concerned. However, those who don’t fit into the mould of the ideal-looking employee still have opportunities, even if they’re not perfect. On the other hand, companies need to start revising their policies to include women who are differently-abled, and those who need extra support at the workplace.
According to the Persons with Disabilities Act of 1995, there are incentives for private companies where at least five per cent of the workforce is people who are differently-abled. Some companies such as Titan Industries and Gitanjali Gems have taken strides in the inclusion of differently-abled people in the workplace, but even here, the gender gap is evident. Of the people with disabilities employed in India, 80 per cent are men and only 20 per cent are female.
Sagari Bose, mother of a 25-year-old daughter in a wheelchair, says, “There are biases when it comes to hiring a differently-abled woman since the challenges are manifold. Take for instance one small thing – the availability of a restroom. One company had separate restrooms for men and women, but a common restroom for the differently-abled for both genders. Given that she was the only differently-abled woman who was hired, and there were six other men, they expected her to ‘adjust’ and didn’t see the need to invest in or give her a safe space where she felt comfortable.
“In yet another company, the cafeteria and recreation areas weren’t accessible via a lift, so she was increasingly left out of most social activities with her colleagues. These may seem like small reasons, but they play a big role in job satisfaction and one’s mental health. Today, she is happily and comfortably self-employed, and runs a jewellery-making business, retailing online on social media and across smaller shops.”
One would assume that like every other gap in hiring, this gap, too, is closing with time. Sadly, that isn’t the case. In a world where social media filters and movies depict sleek corporate women with shiny hair and perfect teeth rocking the boardroom, the ones who don’t fit into that mould increasingly find themselves underrepresented and left behind. When an employer discounts a person based solely on their looks, they are not trying to understand what value they can add, or how they can make a positive contribution to work. After all, gloss can only take you so far.