NEW YORK, April 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Horizon Media, a leader in delivering data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands, announced today the results of its most recent study that examines people’s positive and negative perceptions of their body image and its effects on their career development and compensation. Although there are many articles about body confidence and body positivity, or the lack thereof, few address its impact in the workplace and on people’s career advancement and their compensation.
Horizon talked to over 750 people, men and women, who are currently employed in a work environment where they frequently interacted in person with co-workers or clients. The approach was comprehensive--from understanding where body image and confidence fit within a broader range of traits, to specific actions people take to feel better about themselves at work (hair color, make up, shaving/not shaving, wearing contacts, teeth whitening, etc.) to understanding how having a negative body image has affected their career trajectory.
The study found that negative body confidence affects nearly 1 in 5 people in the workplace—this is true for men and women alike. However, most people (8 in 10) don’t talk about this with people at work, and nearly 3 in 10 don’t talk about it with anyone.
Horizon’s study found that those who believe their body has had a positive impact on their career are 40% more optimistic about their future than those who believe their body has negatively affected their career. Those people with positive body confidence are 75% more likely to say they feel extremely successful in their career and are twice as likely to be very happy with where they’ve progressed and what they’ve achieved.
There is a clear theme of self-blame among those with negative body confidence versus those with a positive body image. The study finds that rather than feeling they’ve had a lack of deserved opportunities, it is more that they point to themselves as the reason for under achieving and in not having high expectations for the future.
Those with negative body confidence are nearly 70% more likely to believe that a lack of self-confidence has caused them to miss out on career opportunities, and they are more than 40% more inclined to blame themselves for creating obstacles to career advancement. Also, those with negative body image are more than 1.5 times more likely to be angry at themselves for not doing what they need to change how they feel about themselves.
These people feel overwhelmed about what they want to change which intensifies their internal stress (61% negative body image vs 38% positive body image). If they feel bad about their body, they assume everyone else is also thinking about how they look (57% vs 38%). They’re also sad about feeling bad which makes them withdraw even more (52% vs 33%).
Furthermore, those with negative body image and lack of confidence tend to experience career highs and lows much more intensely than those with positive body image, suggesting that they view their day-to-day work life through a variable filter of ‘how I feel about my body today and in this moment’.
The study found that even when they’re feeling comfortable with their body at work, those with negative body image are still much more likely to be trapped in their thoughts about their body: I’m just being me (50% negative body image vs 69% positive body image); I feel invincible (52% vs 75%); I’m more likely to speak up more than I usually would in a meeting (46% s 67%).
The analysis identified seven distinct factors that impact perceived career success: Belief in abilities, Encouragement/support from colleagues, Tensions (e.g. stress level, things in life outside work, salary), External traits (e.g. weight, how clothes fit, how old/young I look etc.), Feelings (e.g. about clothes worn at work, appearance, feelings about body), Features (e.g. teeth, hair, freckles, wrinkles, birthmarks, etc.), and Cosmetic changes (e.g. plastic surgery, hair color, facial hair, accessories).
When comparing men and women, the study found that while issues with body confidence are felt equally by men and women, but found differences is in the degree of being comfortable (or not) with their bodies as it relates to the workplace. Overall, men are 150% more likely to be extremely comfortable with their bodies than are women. Men are 37% more likely than women to be happy with their career after controlling for other factors. Women are more than twice as likely to see their appearance affecting about career future (most driven by tensions, feelings). Men are 51% more likely than women to be optimistic about their future.
Additionally, women see a strong relationship with their appearance and their future prospects with items such as weight and clothing, and the perceived obstacles to career. Men are strongly convinced that their abilities can overcome perceived obstacles, but women see little relationship between their abilities and obstacles they face. Encouragement reduces the perception of obstacles for women but has little effect on men’s perception of obstacles. Men see some small relationship between their appearance and overcoming obstacles, but there is a strong relationship for women between how they look (image, features, appearance) and overcoming obstacles.
Horizon has made the full study available upon request.
About Horizon Media
Horizon Media, Inc. is a leader in delivering data-driven business outcomes for some of the most innovative and ambitious brands. The company was founded in 1989, is headquartered in New York, and has offices in Los Angeles and Toronto. With estimated billings of $8.7 billion and over 2,300 employees, Horizon is the third largest U.S. media agency according to COMvergence data.
Recognized as one of the world’s ten most innovative marketing and advertising companies by Fast Company, Horizon Media has been named Media Agency of the Year by MediaPost, Adweek and AdAge and is known for its highly personal approach to client service. Renowned for its culture, Horizon is also consistently named to all the prestigious annual Best Places to Work lists published by Fortune, Forbes, AdAge, Crain’s New York Business and Los Angeles Business Journal; including “Best Workplaces for Diversity,” “Best Workplaces for Women,” and “Best Workplaces for Millennials” honors.
Earning the industry’s highest honor, Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder of Horizon Media, was inducted into the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Hall of Fame in 2019.
For further information please contact
Horizon Media
Stephen Hall
shall@horizonmedia.com