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Employee experience of aesthetic labour in retail and hospitality

Author

Listed:
  • Chris Warhurst
  • Dennis Nickson

    (University of Strathclyde)

Abstract

Interactive service job growth in the UK is significant.Analysis of labour within these services has tended to focus on employee attitudes, framed through emotional labour. Such analysis is not incorrect, just partial. Some employers also demand aesthetic labour, or employees with particular embodied capacities and attributes that appeal to the senses of customers. Reporting survey and focus group data, this article explores aesthetic labour as it is experienced by interactive service employees in the retail and hospitality industries. Issues examined are recruitment and selection; image and appearance; uniforms and dress codes; skills and training. By extending awareness of aesthetic labour so that both employee attitude and appearance are empirically and conceptually revealed, the article extends understanding of the job demands made of employees in interactive services.

Suggested Citation

  • Chris Warhurst & Dennis Nickson, 2007. "Employee experience of aesthetic labour in retail and hospitality," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 21(1), pages 103-120, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:woemps:v:21:y:2007:i:1:p:103-120
    DOI: 10.1177/0950017007073622
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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.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Michael McGann & Rachel Ong & Dina Bowman & Alan S Duncan & Helen Kimberley & Simon Biggs, 2016. "A Gendered Analysis of Age Discrimination among Older Jobseekers in Australia," Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre Working Paper series WP1601, Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School.
    3. Robinson, Richard N.S. & Baum, Tom & Golubovskaya, Maria & Solnet, David J. & Callan, Victor, 2019. "Applying endosymbiosis theory: Tourism and its young workers," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 1-1.
    4. Quach, Sara & Jebarajakirthy, Charles & Thaichon, Park, 2017. "Aesthetic labor and visible diversity: The role in retailing service encounters," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 34-43.
    5. Birken, Thomas & Dunkel, Wolfgang, 2013. "Dienstleistungsforschung und Dienstleistungspolitik: Eine Bestandsaufnahme internationaler Literatur zu 'service science' und 'service work'," Arbeitspapiere 282, Hans-Böckler-Stiftung, Düsseldorf.
    6. Géraldine Rieucau & Marie Salognon, 2013. "Le recrutement dans la grande distribution : des pratiques ajustées ?," Post-Print hal-00909665, HAL.
    7. Janta, Hania & Ladkin, Adele & Brown, Lorraine & Lugosi, Peter, 2011. "Employment experiences of Polish migrant workers in the UK hospitality sector," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 1006-1019.
    8. Park, Sangwon & Yaduma, Natina & Lockwood, Andrew J. & Williams, Allan M., 2016. "Demand fluctuations, labour flexibility and productivity," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 93-112.

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