Lookism in hospitality and tourism workplaces: A multilevel review and research agenda

Abstract

By analyzing 47 articles on lookism of employees in Hospitality-Tourism workplaces published up to March 2023 in hospitality and non-hospitality journals, this study provides a systematic review of lookism and synthesizes the findings into a multilevel conceptual framework of its antecedents and consequences. Findings indicate factors at the individual-, job-, organizational- and institutional-level are antecedents to lookism of employees and job candidates, with stigmatization, prejudice and stereotypes, gendered job context, aesthetic labor and Human Resource Management practices emphasizing aesthetic labor and physical appearance requirements, and a lack of anti-discrimination legislation respectively influencing lookism. While we find “institutionalized lookism” and “individualized lookism” operate at the individual and organizational levels, in the absence of institutionalized lookism, individualized lookism can still manifest because of the prejudices and stereotypes held by hiring managers and recruiters. Reduced applicant hireability, and other career outcomes, job attitudes, and psychological and health outcomes are employee-level consequences of lookism.