As
piercings and tattoos become more prevalent among teens as well as older
people, the work place has had to adjust to the growing number of employees sporting
them. A 2006 Pew Research Survey reported that 36 percent of 18-25 year olds and
40 percent of 26-40 year olds have at least one tattoo (Tattoos & Piercings).
Because of the growing population with tattoos and piercings, employers have
come to realize that they need to be more welcoming or at least be ready to compromise
with those candidates. With this shift, it is best that companies have well
written dress codes (including their views on piercings and tattoos), that
employees know their rights, and that employees know other tactics to draw
attention away from their tattoo or piercing if needed.
Some workplaces that target young
demographic like salons, retailer for teens, design firms, body art might be
welcomed. However, places where suit-and-tie is a must, the more professional
environments, bosses may want those tattoos and piercings hidden. Employers
with dress codes that are too vague are very likely to come across problems. “Once
a company provides employees with a well versed Company Policy, it can aid in
avoiding legal issues in all aspects of the work environment”( Tattoo and Body Piercings). Places like Disney World and Wal-Mart have specific policies pertaining
to visible tattoos. It is usually only an employment issue when it’s visible
and becomes distracting to those around.
As an employee, it would be smart to
know rights and be sure the company is not being discriminatory. A company can
tell its employees not to wear piercings or tattoos to work and all that would
be legal. On the other hand, they can’t use
it as grounds to fire someone. If they come out with a new policy, it is best
for them that it is in written form. If they make any changes to the dress
code, it must be applicable to everyone.
For those in working environments
where tattoos and piercings must be hidden or less visible, there are many ways
to keep your tattoo and still be able to comply with company rues. For tattoos,
it’s always easiest to just hide them with clothes, whether that means wearing
pants or wearing long sleeves. Females can also camouflage their wrist tattoos
by wearing bracelets. For tattoos that can’t be covered with clothes they can
use band-aids or opaque make-up to cover them up. Piercings are easier because
they can be removed but if is not an option at the moment, people can also use
piercing retainers, which is clear, less visible, and will keep the hole from
closing.
Bottom line is, though more and more
companies are becoming lenient when it comes to body art, each one of them is
different and will have different dress codes. When coming in for an interview,
make sure to check the company’s dress code, or just cover up the tattoos and
piercings to play it safe.
"Body Art and Tattoos in the Workplace | Fox News." Fox News. FOX News Network, 21 Oct. 2006. Web. 03 Apr. 2013. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,223178,00.html.
"Tattoos & Piercings in the Workplace." Careerlinecom RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013. http://www.career-line.com/job-search/tattoos-piercings-in-the-workplace/.
"Tattoos and Body Piercings in the Work Place." HubPages. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2013. http://njscbullock.hubpages.com/hub/Tattoos-and-Body-Piercings-in-the-Work-Place.
I had always wondered why employers were so against tattoos and piercing. Maybe it's an idea within our culture that they're a sign of immaturity. Probably untrue, but it's going to be interesting to see what happens in a few years.
ReplyDeleteHave you yourself had any problems with job interviews or jobs because of it?
I think even the military was against tattoos (at least on certain places on the body) for many, many years. I certainly agree with Colin that it's a cultural issue here. Times are changing very quickly, and like marijuana use and the broader acceptance of alternative family structures, I think tattoo culture is certainly going mainstream.
ReplyDeleteNice research and discussion here!