Performance, gender and sexualised work: Beyond management control, beyond legislation? A case study of work in a recruitment company

an article by Valerie Caven, Scott Lawley and Jocelyn Baker (Nottingham Trent University, UK) published in Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal Volume 32 Issue 5 (2013)

Abstract

Purpose
Organisations seek to manage and control the dress, appearance and behaviour of their employees for strategic corporate advantage but what are the far-reaching implications of this for employers and employees? This paper aims to identify the explicit and implicit codes for appearance and behaviour imposed by management and co-workers.

Design/methodology/approach
Adopting a case study approach using ethnographic methods, this research, conducted in a recruitment agency specialising in placing construction industry personnel, draws on data obtained from four in-depth, semi-structured interviews with senior managers, a focus group with female employees and participant observation methods, and provides an intriguing insight into the grooming and packaging of female employees.

Findings
Findings show this aesthetic and behavioural “packaging” of the female employees comes with consequences for client, employer and employee. The females cannot escape the aesthetic and sexualised image imposed upon them as management strategy and often have no choice but to “perform” for clients to manipulate situations for their own advantage.

Research limitations/implications
Because of the research approach adopted and the relatively small sample size, generalisability is limited. It would be helpful to replicate the study in other settings.

Originality/value
The paper highlights the existence of official and unofficial controls over dress, appearance and behaviour and the pressure exerted on women in the workplace.

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