Are Tattoos appropriate in the workplace?
We initially posted this question in June 2017 and I was curious to see how far along society has come in the last 3 years on this topic.
Last week I created a Twitter poll asking ‘If you were an employer, would tattoos play a part in offering a potential candidate?’ (With a few hashtags in there to spread the word!), the results were quite interesting.
The results showed that 49.7% of people wouldn’t dismiss someone based on tattoos whilst 17.6% openly admitted they would. 32.4% said it would depend on the type of tattoo and/or location. Interestingly the only percentage changes we saw were people that voted ‘Yes’.
2017 saw 7% stating tattoos ‘do’ play a part in the selection process, so why is there over 10.5% increase I wonder? Do people feel more comfortable in discounting potential new talent based on a tattoo? I am particularly interested to find out what people's thoughts were on the ‘Tattoos Location’ option too…
Did you know that tattoos have been around for c6000 years? I didn’t until I did my research. I also came across some interesting facts-
- 72% of adults with tattoos have tattoos that are usually hidden by clothing.
- 35% of those between 30 and 39 years in the UK have tattoos.
- 42% of people think that tattoos don't make people any more or less attractive.
- 69% of people don't see people with tattoos any more or less deviant than people without tattoos.
According to a survey by YouGov, around a third of UK adults aged between 25-39 have tattoos. With these statistics in mind, there are various reasons why people have tattoos and should they be singled out for having them? Does it depend on the type of the tattoo or are they being discounted regardless?
So what did I vote?… I voted for ‘Location/Tattoo’. If you were interviewing for a teaching or childminding position, would you consider a candidate who had offensive language tattooed on them, in a visible place? Possibly not. The same could apply for any other role. I believe that candidates should remain presentable and professional for the role you are applying for. Does this also apply to hair colour, business attire, bad smells or poor hygiene, but I will leave that for another day…
I am always interested in those ‘controversial’ discussions so stay tuned for the next poll! All opinions are welcomed. Follow me @KatieBarks_HR and connect with me on LinkedIn- https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/katiebarkshr/
Statistics provided by:
https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/business/should-tattoos-be-allowed-workplace-940022
https://www.historyoftattoos.net/tattoo-facts/tattoo-statistics/
Head of Resourcing and experienced Senior HR business partner FCIPD
5 年Hi. Wrong question. Is the person with the tattoo appropriate for the workplace is the real point.
Operational Improvement Delivery Manager at Centrica
5 年Love this topic, I have quite a few and last year got my fingers done. I do get some looks but if people ask it is the date of my wedding so it tends to change peoples perceptions. I have however held back on getting my full hand done, they are known as “job stoppers” for a reason! I am very lucky that my employer doesnt mind and I do not feel they have any impact on peoples perception of myself, from any level of management, however I know this isn’t always the case. But I am firmly of the belief that if any potential employee or recruiter would be biased, or lets face it prejudiced, against me because of ink then they would not be the standard of people I would want to work for!
International R2R Consultant - Australia, US, Cayman Islands & London (360 agency roles only)
5 年Very interesting topic! I’ve always tried to cover up my tattoos and piercings in a professional environment, but I wouldn’t like to be discriminated against If I accidentally showed some of my ink. However, I draw the line at offensive tattoos, I wouldn’t be comfortable working with or hiring someone with a tattoo of swastika for example.
Resourcing and Community Management | Consulting Advisory Services
5 年Its an interesting one! I personally have three tattoos, all covered by usual business clothing - expect the one on the inside of my wrist which is visible when not wearing long sleeves. I've worked with people for years who have never noticed my tattoos and then if they have the usual questions were just "what do they mean?" or "how long have you had them?"...? I agree with your sentiment about the location or type of tattoo playing a part and your analogy of the childminder with offensive language is a good one. Ultimately, we should be able to be our authentic selves at work and I think more employers are increasingly aware of the performance benefits they see when they support a culture that fosters this attitude.?