More evidence that there is little difference between the office and a high school cafeteria: workplace bullies tend to pick on colleagues who are considered unattractive, according to a new study.Researchers Timothy Judge of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and Brent Scott of Michigan State University surveyed 114 workers at a health-care facility to find out how often co-workers bullied them. Bullying was defined as acting rudely, teasing or saying hurtful statements.Separately, other participants viewed digital photos of the health-care workers, grading their attractiveness. (click below to read more)
Workers whose photos were graded as unattractive tended to be more likely to have reported being subjected to rude or even cruel treatment by co-workers, said Dr. Judge.
"We're more influenced by attractiveness than we are willing to admit," he said. "We act on those perceptions in ways that are hurtful."
Researchers couldn't exactly say why less attractive workers suffered more bullying and abuse, but noted that people with lower self esteem tend to be targets of aggressive behaviors.
Physical attractiveness plays a powerful role in the workplace. A growing body of research has found that better-looking people tend to earn more and score higher on performance reviews and attain greater career success—and are even perceived to be more intelligent and moral.
What's more, how you look may only grow more important as workplace communication grows increasingly visual, thanks to growing use of video and social media, Dr. Judge said.
That can be a problem, given that "physical attractiveness is not a bona fide occupational qualification for most jobs," he said.
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