Keep it under wraps: Body art in the workplace
Is your body inked with your ex-girlfriend’s initials (big mistake), skulls and cross bones, or maybe a just little pink heart on the inside of your wrist? Do you set off the metal detector at the airport with all of your piercings, some of which are in places you’d never tell Mom and Dad? If so, you may be at risk of not getting a job, or at least asked to cover your body of art while on the clock at your current place of employment. We know what you’re thinking: It’s 2009. The times they are a’ changing. Aren’t we an open-minded culture where the freedom of expression rings loud and true? Well, maybe not as much as you thought.
The American Academy of Dermatology conducted a survey in 2006 finding that 24 percent of Americans ages 24 to 50 had at least one tattoo—and that number has bound to have risen in the past two years. So with at least one-fourth of the population sporting visible body art like tattoos or piercings, one would think it would become more accepted in the workplace. In addition, according to a Vault.com survey, 58 percent of hiring managers said they would be less likely to hire an applicant with tattoos or piercings (and we’re not talking about your ears, ladies).
However, many companies with more conservative ideals are afraid this self-expression will offend clients or be perceived as unprofessional. A website called InkedInc.com hosts pictures of workers in every profession—doctors, lawyers, college professors and CEOs—covered in elaborate tattoos they show off on the weekends, but cover up with business suits during 9 to 5.
We’re not telling you not to be yourself at work, but you may need to conceal your tats and leave the metal in your jewelry box while on the job if you want to keep making that paycheck. Until the mindset changes or you find a company without a policy on this growing trend, play it safe and keep that tribute to Carmen Electra on your forearm to yourself for now. Or maybe forever.
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