The effects of physical appearance on the selection process in the F&B industry in Lebanon

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study was to understand the effects that a food and beverage FOH or BOH applicants’ physical appearance characteristics have on recruiters and hiring decisions in Lebanon. Hiring managers should be aware of physical appearance stereotypes and unethical hiring practices especially when physical appearance isn’t a job requirement. Design/methodology/approach - A questionnaire was distributed to employers and HR managers from several F&B organizations in Lebanon. The responses of 240 participants were analyzed using SPSS. In order to investigate the study’s hypotheses, factor analyses and nonparametric tests were conducted. Findings - The results of this study found that physical appearance does impact the hiring chances of FOH job candidates more so than BOH applicants. The findings show that Lebanese recruiters don’t accept physical characteristics related to trends or self-expression during hiring. Furthermore, female recruiters were shown to care more about the candidates’ physical appearance than males. Also, older and more experienced recruiters focus less on appearance. Research Limitations - This study’s participants came from different hiring backgrounds; therefore, some raters might not have as much hiring knowledge or experience as others. Furthermore, some participants might have answered based on what their organization considers ethical or good hiring practice instead of providing their own experience. Practical Implications – The study’s results can help F&B companies and job searchers become aware of the impacts that physical appearance has on recruitment. Organizations that want to overcome appearance stereotypes during hiring should apply appearance discrimination policies and hiring systems that focus on the candidates’ skills and credentials.