Do you like my hairstyle? A study of the effects of appearance discrimination on employment chances in Nigeria

Research on appearance-based discrimination is growing, yet limited attention has been paid to how hairstyle influences perceptions of employability, particularly outside Western contexts. This study investigates how visible hairstyles function as markers of aesthetic labour and shape perceptions of employability in the Nigerian labour market, drawing on a mixed-methods approach that combines an experimental face perception survey with follow-up interviews of hiring managers. While the survey shows that applicants with visibly unconventional hairstyles are rated less favourably, especially men and those applying for customer-facing roles, the interviews reveal deeper cultural meanings attached to grooming standards. Hiring managers described hairstyles not only as markers of organisational fit but as visual cues of discipline, moral character, and social respectability. These interpretations were shaped by intersecting influences, including cultural norms, religious values and institutional branding concerns. The study contributes to research on aesthetic labour and intersectionality by demonstrating how professionalism is constructed through culturally specific logics of appearance, with implications for workplace inclusion and HR policy in postcolonial contexts.