【美貌加成】研究：女性化妝後更值得信賴，更有可能獲得較高收入 Research suggests women wearing makeup are perceived as more trustworthy and likely to receive higher incomes

常言道「不要以貌取人」，但在日常生活中，我們卻很容易根據外表來判斷他人。近日有網民在討論區發起投票，選擇「做事能力普通的靚女」還是「做事能力佳的醜人」，結果前者大比數勝出。在職場上，漂亮的人往往更受到青睞，進而影響招聘、績效評估和薪酬等方面，這可以稱之為「美貌加成」。

Journal of Economic Psychology的研究發現，女性化妝後更值得信賴，甚至更有可能獲得較高收入。香港浸會大學進行的一項研究則考察了樣貌對美國頂尖商學院終身任教會計專業教授的影響，研究顯示外表較吸引的候選人往往能夠獲得更好的職位，並且更快獲得終身教席。然而，隨著時間的推移，美貌對職業發展的影響逐漸減弱。

「美貌加成」不僅存在於學術界，也影響著商業界。相貌平平的候選人可能較難被聘用，或者更容易被解僱。經濟學家Eva Sierminska在IZA World of Labo的報告指出，相貌出眾的員工收入往往比相貌平平的員工高出10％至15%，男性因美貌所致的工資差距甚至更大。

雖然我們無法完全消除這種無意識的偏見，但透過管理，可以讓招聘、晉升和薪酬等方面的決策更為明智。研究亦指出，隨著個人能力和職能在一段時間內變得顯著，美貌對工作評估和晉升的影響逐漸減弱。儘管無法完全消除因美貌所致的偏見，但我們可以採取措施來減少其影響，確保真正地選賢與能。

We've all been told not to "judge a book by its cover," yet it's common for individuals to be judged based on their appearance. Recently, a post was shared on a discussion forum, asking people to vote between a "good-looking woman with average work ability" and an "ugly-looking person with excellent work ability". The post indicated that the former received a majority of the votes. One such judgement is the "beauty premium," where more attractive individuals are favoured in professional settings, significantly impacts hiring, performance evaluations, and compensation.

Research from the Journal of Economic Psychology reveals that women wearing makeup are perceived as more trustworthy and likely to receive higher incomes. Another study conducted by Hong Kong Baptist University examined the impact of beauty on the academic career success of tenure-track accounting professors at top American business schools. The findings indicate that attractiveness plays a crucial role in initial job placements and time to tenure. More attractive candidates tend to secure better positions and achieve tenure faster. However, the impact of attractiveness on career progression waned over time.

The beauty premium isn't limited to academia; it also permeates the business world. Less attractive candidates may be less likely to be hired or more likely to be fired. In the business world, this beauty bias doesn't just stop at hiring. Attractive employees tend to earn 10-15% higher incomes than their less attractive peers, as shown in a IZA World of Labor report by economist Eva Sierminska. This "beauty pay gap" is even more significant for men than for women.

While completely eliminating unconscious bias might not be feasible, we can manage it to make more informed decisions in hiring, promotion, and compensation. As research indicates, the influence of beauty on job evaluation and promotion wanes as an individual's ability and competency become more evident over time. We may not be able to eradicate beauty bias entirely, but we can take steps to mitigate its impact and ensure that true talent takes centre stage.