When it comes to setting rules, companies have many employee handbooks, HR principles and other guidelines in place that are clearly written out for their workforce to follow. But for some companies, there’s an unspoken rule where women are expected to look a certain way on the job. It’s called the “Grooming Gap.”
According to law firm Sjoberg & Tebelius, P.A., the Grooming Gap refers to standards for physical appearance and hygiene that “disproportionately affect women” and can lead to personal, professional and financial consequences.
Examples of the Grooming Gap include women who are deemed to be more attractive getting promotions or better work hours and women paying for manicures and other services because the employee handbook says something like “hands must be well-manicured.”
