Joki Forum brought the Science Park community together to reflect on the significance of appearance in professional life and all interpersonal interactions. The keynote speech was given by Outi Sarpila, Professor of Sociology at the University of Turku. Sarpila has led a research team that, among other things, wrote the book The Appearance Society – External appearance as capital in 21st-century Finland.
In her work, Sarpila studies appearance and inequality. Her research has shown that men benefit more from an attractive appearance in professional life. For women, however, attractiveness can backfire, as the stereotype that a beautiful woman cannot be smart still persists in today's workplace. Although women spend significantly more time and money on their appearance on average than men, an overly polished style can be perceived as too formal, especially in women.
Joki Forum brings the Science Park together
Joki Forum is a regular breakfast event organized by the Visitor Centre Joki, covering current topics in professional life and the business world.
Invitations to the event are sent to all Joki partners and customers of Turun Teknologiakiinteistöt.
Joki’s stakeholder magazine Biz will be published again in May, and the upcoming issue features an interview with Outi Sarpila, diving deeper into the appearance society. Subscribe to Biz for your office or home here.