Body Confidence Issues Hold Back North East Women At Work

With regular stories in the news about people undergoing cosmetic surgery procedures to boost their self-assurance, a new survey reveals that lack of body confidence has stopped a third of women in Britain from applying for a potential promotion or pay-rise at work as they thought they would be overlooked, despite being more than qualified for the job.

It comes after research by Dr Foued Hamza also found that 15% of women would consider cosmetic surgery themselves, or would suggest it to a family member or friend, to make them feel less self-conscious.

TFM Radio spoke to Janice Auton from the Stockton Business Women's Network she said:

"If it was that job of a lifetime, and they have the disposable income to do it and they can afford it, if it's going to give them that inner confidence, it's going to give them the confidence to go forward and approach what every business it is, then yeah, I see why some people opt to have surgery"

Janice Auton again:

"We talk about how you never get a second chance to make a first impression and I think when we're going into the work place and our business or if you're working for someone else, I really think that our mind set sometimes messes with our body image"

But Emma Oliver from Friendly Development in the North East thinks that there is more to a job candidate than how they look. She thinks too much pressure is put on women to look a certain way.

"We've got some amazing young women who could go on and do wonderful jobs that are held back because they think they don't look the part. I want to see that stopped; we want to support people to fulfil their potential regardless of how they look."

Visit the Friendly Development Website for information about support groups in the North East

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