Half of employers still discriminating applicants against appearance

More than half of British employers admitted to making a decision not to employ someone – because they didn’t like the way they looked.

A study of 1,000 bosses found that despite UK employment laws banning employers from discriminating against anyone because of their sex, religion or other personal characteristics, many are doing so anyway.

Of the 51 per cent who have knowingly discriminated against someone, 43 per cent didn’t employ the candidate because of their visible tattoos, while four in 10 didn’t approve of their clothes.

Hair colour or style put off three in 10 judgmental bosses, while a further 21 per cent say their interviewee failed to land the job because they had a disability.

Hospitality employer Greene King commissioned the research ahead of National Apprenticeship Week.

The study also found almost half of bosses admitted they can’t ‘look beyond’ an interviewee’s appearance, despite their ability to do the job.

Just under one third find it harder to ignore visible tattoos when considering a new applicant for a role.

Visible piercings can be a distraction for 28 per cent of employers, while a quarter can’t turn a blind eye to the way someone is dressed.

And nine out of 10 employers say having a smart appearance is important for the positions they normally hire for.

The study found 57 per cent of bosses would be a little more lenient with an applicant’s appearance if they are younger, but the average believes adults should take on a more ‘professional look’ by the time they reach the age of 24.

When it comes to qualifications, employers are just as picky, with 38 per cent reluctant to hire anyone who has dropped out of school.

Those who haven’t made their way through college lack appeal for 30 per cent of bosses, while one quarter wouldn’t consider a candidate who hadn’t been to university.

And despite an overwhelming 85 per cent of those polled claiming they are ‘open minded’ – 37 per cent say the social class of a candidate matters when it comes to their suitability for a job.

Another 21 per cent of those polled, via OnePoll, said they definitely wouldn’t hire someone with a criminal record.

Greene King, which seeks to ‘look beyond’ by working with The Prince’s Trust to support young people into work, and with Novus and Only A Pavement Away to recruit ex-offenders, runs an award-winning apprenticeship programme which is available to all team members.