Lookism: The Way You Look at Others Matters
Jan 18, 2022

It would be unfair to say that lookism is a new trend. Maybe there were other names for it or maybe just more people accepted this form of prejudice in the past, but it’s always been there. Lookism is simply a term for discriminating against someone based on appearance. That might be because of a visible tattoo or piercing, a style choice, hair cut or colour, or any number of the small things that make up our individual looks. Remote work and a general relaxing of attitudes around what makes up ‘workwear’ have seen this issue fade, but it’s still there, and it’s still harmful.

 

Let’s take a closer look at lookism.

 

First of all, a lot depends on the industry you work in. Some industries like science, medicine, finance, and the public sector may be less tolerant of people who don’t fit the mould when it comes to their appearance. While tech, creative, and artistic industries can be much more relaxed and ‘why not’ about individual style. Some in these industries, such as programmers, developers, creatives, copywriters, and content managers, may even say that their external style helps them to be more creative in their roles.

 

There are also shifting cultural attitudes around things like tattoos which have become much more popular and mainstream in recent years. While generational differences still exist – some older people view piercings, brightly coloured hair, and visible tattoos as provocative – ultimately, your external appearance has little impact on how you work in most roles. International companies have tended to take a broader view when it comes to appearance at work, though that’s not always the case. You may also get different takes depending on whether a job is externally or internally facing and whether there are health and safety considerations around things like piercings or long hair.

 

Another important consideration around lookism is equality and inclusion. Companies want to create cultures where everyone’s views are represented and discriminating against people based on external appearance makes it impossible to create a fully inclusive culture.

 

So, how do you evaluate people at work? Do you have clear and simple criteria – KPIs, benchmarks, etc? Skills and cultural fit? Or do you ever judge someone based on their looks alone? Does blue hair and piercings mean that you don’t engage someone on a big project or put them forward for a new role?

 

Traditional suit and tie culture is fading away around the world and with it, hopefully, some of the prejudices we hold about how people should present themselves at work. After all, why should lookism hold people or organizations back from achieving great things?

14 Aug, 2023
Rephrasing the famous song, “Love is in the air”, let’s talk about change is in the air – and everywhere. We grow. We change. Look at your childhood photos. Watch your kid, your nephew, your niece. The change is there, and it’s incredible. Nature is constantly changing. We wait for summer as the time to enjoy outdoor activities and gardening, for a quick visit to the beach, or simply take time to relax and spend time with family, friends and loved ones. We wait for winter (even if we never see snow falling) to decorate the house for the holidays, pack presents for the people we love and unpack our own. The colour of the leaves changes, the weather shifts, and flowers blossom in their time – the landscape is constantly transforming. The world around us is changing. We travel to other countries and learn new things, cultures and languages. We take on new hobbies. We get new skills. After a couple of minor kitchen accidents (sometimes), we can cook delicious dishes and get compliments from family and friends. We transform our bodies at the gym or simply by creating the habit of walking every day. We meet new people, we sometimes fall in love, we build families, we have kids. And if you step back for a second, you realise you might have met your other half by pure accident. But you took a leap of faith into the unknown. We embrace many types of unknown change, except for the one that can change how we live five days a week – to change jobs. “I am too old/too young to change”, “I’m used to this environment; It’s my comfort zone”, “Well, I don’t get any promotion, and what I do doesn’t change the world, but it’s stable”, “I am afraid to ask for more interesting projects. What if my manager fires me?”. We often don’t want to change because that step requires a vision, courage, external support, and a leap of faith into the unknown. Scary? Yes. But also promising. A step into the unknown? Yes. But it can open a new door. Do your inner values marry what you do? Yes, it is essential. There is nothing terrible about staying in your comfort zone. At some stage of your career, staying put can be an excellent decision. But if you feel that you need a change – talk to Kelly. We don’t mind going the extra mile and support your wish to embrace the change. The one which will give meaning to what you do, feel proud, motivated and fulfilled. Ready for changing? We’ll make sure your talent can truly shine.
10 Aug, 2023
You’ve seen these guys before when a circus came to your city or maybe on TV. They walk on a wire at an impressive height, sometimes without insurance, sometimes with a long stick that probes the void right and left. They walk slowly, trying the wire with their toes first, making small steps, their eyes fixed on the small platform where they plan to land soon. They never watch down. They don’t listen to an audience that applauses or gasps in awe. They are concentrated on keeping their balance. To keep balance. Let’s come down from the wire above the arena or stage. Let’s look closer at balance, where it has its roots and the secrets of keeping it. Is it an art? Or is it a skill? Can you learn to keep balance? Or is it an innate skill that only gymnasts, figure skaters, circus artists and ballet dancers are born with? Want to know the secrets of a ballerina that must perform 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at a high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe? First, keeping balance is a skill people must learn for years. In ballet, sport, circus, real life, and… work life. A ballerina is taught to pick one point and to fix her eyes on it when she makes her 32 fouettes, a complex ballet movement that requires turning 360 degrees at high-speed standing on the point of a ballet shoe. She focuses on one thing that keeps her upright. She doesn’t look anywhere else. Gymnasts in some disciplines are constantly trained to feel the bar under their feet. They are prepared to land precisely on the bar after they jump, and the incredible contortions we admire in competitions. But let’s come back to the circus artists we have begun with. Often, they have a long stick in their hands to keep their balance. Is their secret hidden in the stick? And what is the secret? You don’t need to be a ballet dancer, a gymnast, or a circus artist to get the idea of balance. Here are your first two steps in your balance training: 1. Keep your main priorities in mind. And have a clear idea about what is very important for you and where you are ready to compromise. But don’t listen to external opinions that don’t align with your ideals. Forget about the audience’s applause – focus on you. 2. Use some help to stay upright and get to your goals. Imagine your life split on two ends of the helping stick, your job is on one end, and your private life is on another. How comfortable do you feel at your height now with the load on both ends? You need support. We at Kelly pay a lot of attention to balance. The balance between people’s private lives and their jobs. The balance between feeling appreciated and professional goals or between achieving extraordinary results and being inspired. Talk to Kelly today. We are not ballet coaches or sports trainers, but we know much about how important work/life balance is in our lives.
03 Aug, 2023
We often associate certain qualities with individuals who seem to possess a natural talent for creativity. We convince ourselves that painting, singing, or dancing are pursuits reserved for these "real" artists while we remain mere spectators. Creativity? Inspiration? No, it's not about me.
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