Tattoos in the Workplace Free Essays

Tattoos In The Workplace Sarah Jo Phillips COM/150 December 19, 2009 Kathleen D’Aprix In some professions, having visible tattoos is completely taboo and in others it is not only accepted, but embraced. What it boils down to is the level of trust the job requires. Tattoos can mean nothing to an observer, or they could mean everything. We will write a custom essay sample on Tattoos in the Workplace or any similar topic only for you Order Now Those in professional industry such as doctors, lawyers and teachers are expected to be professionals and dress in a certain manor. The most basic mistake new employees make is under dressing,† says Randall Hansen, a professor of business at Stetson University in Deland, Fla. â€Å"If unsure, dress conservatively. The best way to avoid a problem is to understand the corporate culture,† (Reeves). Dressing conservatively means to not display yourself outlandishly or draw too much attention. Tattoos are like a piece of clothing that cannot be taken off. A doctor or lawyer or investment banker deals with a lot of money and appearance says a lot about a person. A client or patient probably would not put too much trust or money in someone that looks like a biker. On that same token, in a body shop or at a factory displaying a tattoo is not such a no-no. In these manual labor professions, it is often hot, sweaty, physically taxing work and short sleeves are the norm in which case some tattoos will be visible most of the time. What about those high powered attorneys that do have tattoos? â€Å"It’s a ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ understanding,† says Boston lawyer Dave Kimelberg, who works as general counsel for a venture capital firm. Kimelberg sticks to tattoos he can easily conceal under clothing at work — in his case, three-quarter â€Å"ink sleeves† that extend from each shoulder to the middle of his forearms but allow him to roll up his shirt sleeves on warm days,† (Goodman). This example is the most effective way to deal with the issue. Instead of making it a controversial subject, just keep them covered up. With the changing times, how much have employers really changed their way of thinking? In the past, a suit and tie was the appropriate attire for going to work in most professions. Women were supposed to wear dresses if they even had a job. Now, the general workplace is more casual. Most places that require a professional dress code allow just about any type of shirt as long as it has a collar. In many cases, gone are the days of having a starched white shirt and tie, now a basic polo shirt is the norm. That being said, a job is done by a person, not by what they look like. However, â€Å"the laws still tend to support employer dress code/appearance policies in general and employers retain some flexibility in creating rules that require employees to present themselves in a way that is consistent with the employer’s image,† (Gross). Possibly the greatest example of this swing in attire is in the big time retail sales industry. Fifty years ago it would be unheard of if a salesman at a major department store went to work without a tie, if not a jacket. Today, places like Sears, Macy’s, Dillard’s, etc only require a polo shirt with the company insignia on it. The service industry is not about personal appearance; it is about getting things done. Employees in the service industry are given more freedom in their dress code because appearance is not everything. If something breaks, the customer wants it fixed right and done fast. As long as those two criteria are met, they could care less what the technician looks like. On the other hand, would you trust the brain surgeon that has tattoos across his knuckles? Probably not. That is because there is a lot more trust put into that surgeon than there is in that mechanic. In white collar professions tattoos can prevent clientele from using your business. If you walked into your child’s third grade class and saw that the teacher had tattoos on his hands, chances are you would probably not like it very much. In white collar society tattoos are still a taboo that most are not willing to test. The image that comes to mind when most of society thinks of a highly successful CEO or lawyer does not include tattoos. The only way to accurately answer the question of acceptability of tattoos in the workplace is to consider each situation on a case by case basis. In some professions they are not a problem at all while in others they can cause friction between staff members and management. There is not a single answer to the question because it is all about how they fit within the structure of the specific work environment. There are many factors in what is and is not acceptable in the workplace. Between the amount of contact between an employee and the clientele, the amount of professionalism involved in the position, the norms of the profession and the position itself, having a tattoo can make or break a potential job. Getting a tattoo s a conscious act, that being said, think before you ink and your let your own judgments tell you whether or not to get that visible tattoo. Goodman, M. (2008, June 19). Too Tattooed to work?. Retrieved from http://www. cnn. com/2008/LIVING/worklife/06/19/too. tattooed. to. work/ Gross, B. (n. d. ). Tattoos in the workplace: what’s an employer to do?. Retrieved from http://www. allbusiness. com/human-re sources/workforce-management-employee/4113152-1. html Klaus, Mary. â€Å"Tattoos in the workplace no longer a taboo. † Pennlive. com. 19 Jul 2009. Pennsylvania Local News, Web. 15 Nov 2009. How to cite Tattoos in the Workplace, Essay examples Tattoos in the Workplace Free Essays Tattoos in the Workplace Christina Responsive-Final Draft April 4, 2013 There is always a lot of controversy when it comes to tattoos. Most people instantly have an opinion of them; they are either for or against tattoos. What is not realized is the fact that there is a ton of time and effort put into the sketching and placement of a tattoo. We will write a custom essay sample on Tattoos in the Workplace or any similar topic only for you Order Now People tattoo themselves as a way of self-expression and liberation. Unfortunately, in the business world, most executives do not believe there is such a thing as a tasteful tattoo and see them as a sign of rebellion. Some people may argue that tattoos in the workplace are inappropriate, unprofessional, and even distracting. Although tattoos are not respected by certain demographics and may portray negative images that may be offensive, people should not be denied a career based on the personalized art they carefully chose to display on their bodies. Tattoos are not respected by most people in certain demographics. Displaying tattoos is considered taboo to them. There are also people within these groups who see tattoos as unholy and unrespectable. They claim that the body is a temple and no ink should taint the skin in such manner. People of these groups also believe that tattoos are trashy and of bad taste. If tattoos are in a visible place on someone’s body, such as the hands or neck, that person can and will get discriminated against because of their tattoos. Some people may question whether or not this is fair. Unfortunately, people can be very judgmental. Everyone has opinions as to what is acceptable and what is not. Tattoos happen to be a topic that can cause people to be extremely aggressive towards one another. In a business setting, tattoos portray a negative image and whoever has these tattoos will be viewed at first glance as someone who is unprofessional and uneducated. Some tattoos can be displayed in an offensive manner. If someone is displaying a tattoo that has derogatory language or some kind of hate symbol (such as a swastika), that is not acceptable. Most businesses shy away from hiring people with such body art because they think that these people will portray their company in a negative manner and it can be destructive to their business strategies when dealing with clients. Tattoos can cause more chaos han necessary when it comes to the workplace. However, people should not be denied a career because of the art they have on their bodies. Just because an individual has tattoos does not mean they are unprofessional or unworthy of a high-paying job. Colleges do not deny people an education because they have tattoos. If a person with tattoos has a higher education and a better back ground than someone without tattoos who is going for the same job, then the person with tattoos should get the job. But due to the nature of businesses, the person with less experience would most likely be the candidate picked based on appearance. In the workplace, when people look at someone that is covered in tattoos they automatically discriminate against this person. It is almost as if they think that image determines their demeanor and professionalism. This person can be the most courteous and professional person in the world, but no one would ever know because this person was not given a chance due to their appearance and the judgment of others. Most people in the business world think that if a person is inked they also have a poor education, which I believe to be contradictory. Artists are not often said to be uneducated, if anything, they are said to be inspirational and are highly respected. So, if artists and artwork is respectable, art that people decide to display on one’s own flesh should not be judged in such a terrible way. Most people have the tattoos that they have because tattoos display some sort of personal meaning to them. They very carefully pick what goes on their bodies; after all, it is going to be there permanently. Most tattoos have some kind of hidden meaning behind them, or very obvious meaning. People get tattoos in memory of loved ones who have passed so it is forever a part of them. Others just get something beautiful, something that makes a statement to who they are or what it is they enjoy. These traits are what make everyone individuals; these tattoos set everyone apart from the rest of the world. If people were not allowed to be individuals it would be a very boring and predictable life. People with tattoos should not be discriminated against. It is understood that some people find them negative or offensive and some businesses do not take kindly to hiring people who have branded themselves with tattoos that are in visible spots on one’s body. However, people who have such tattoos should not be judged. Tattoos do not make someone who they are; they don’t make people uneducated or unmotivated. There are many different reasons why people get tattoos, whether it is for some sort of memorabilia or to display what they enjoy. Tattoos set people apart from one another, and individuality should not be unacceptable in this day and age. People should be able to achieve the same opportunities whether or not they fit a specific profile. It is unfair to deny anyone rights due to the art displayed on their bodies. How to cite Tattoos in the Workplace, Papers