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Aesthetic and athletic employees: The negative outcome of employers assuming responsibility for sickness benefits

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  • Henrietta Huzell
  • Patrik Larsson

Abstract

Previous research into employers’ aesthetic demands regarding labour has found that hiring good-looking workers has become a conscious recruitment strategy among service companies intending to increase sales. In this article, aesthetic demands are divided into different categories, one of which is related to health issues. This category is labelled athletic demands, which entail employers’ search for healthy-looking workers. It is argued that the use of athletic labour is used as a proxy to avoid future costs for workers’ sickness absence and rehabilitation. This suggests that aesthetic labour is far more important and extensive than hitherto acknowledged.

Suggested Citation

  • Henrietta Huzell & Patrik Larsson, 2012. "Aesthetic and athletic employees: The negative outcome of employers assuming responsibility for sickness benefits," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 33(1), pages 103-123, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:33:y:2012:i:1:p:103-123
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X11427590
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. George Callaghan & Paul Thompson, 2002. "‘We Recruit Attitude’: The Selection and Shaping of Routine Call Centre Labour," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(2), pages 233-254, March.
    2. Paul Thompson & Chris Warhurst & George Callaghan, 2001. "Ignorant Theory and Knowledgeable Workers: Interrogating the Connections between Knowledge, Skills and Services," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(7), pages 923-942, November.
    3. Chris Warhurst & DENNIS NICKSON & ANNE WITZ & ANNE MARIE CULLEN, 2000. "Aesthetic Labour in Interactive Service Work: Some Case Study Evidence from the ‘New’ Glasgow," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mustafa Kocanci & Tuğçe Duygu Yazar & Mete Kaan Namal & Beyhan Aksoy, 2025. "The Dark Side of Aesthetic Labor: Ethics and The Atmosphere of Sexual Harassment," SAGE Open, , vol. 15(3), pages 21582440251, September.

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