Pretty women are at a disadvantage in the workplace.
Attractive women are at a disadvantage in the workplace
Various studies suggest that attractive females are considered to be less trustworthy as well as more manipulative and 'dangerous' than average-looking employees.
Attractive females are also more likely to be objectified which can put them in positions where their career can be placed at risk.
The authors say this is a result of ancient evolutionary instincts as women see attractive members of the same sex as competition while men consider them to be desirable but potentially untrustworthy.
Professor Leah Sheppard, an expert at Washington State University, told the Harvard Business Review: "We suspect it's the trope of the evil seductress: a subconscious anxiety among people of both sexes that beautiful women will use their looks to manipulate people, mostly men."
San Diego State University behavioural analyst Dr. Wendy Patrick has emphasised that pretty women can overcome office biases against them.
She said: "Physical attractiveness is only one aspect of the workplace experience. Kind, compassionate, gracious behaviour can outweigh appearance biases."