Tattoos in the workplace

[Naetha]

Interesting article on the BBC website about tattoos at work and peoples prejudices and preconceptions. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/5079470.stm

What do you guys think? Do you think people should be allowed to express themselves by getting tattood and it no affecting the types of jobs they can apply for? Do you think it doesn't matter if you have visible tattoos or what clothes you wear for work as long as they are fit for a purpose (i.e. safe and not *too* revealing)?

Be interested to gauge the opinion

 

[Hansmoleman]

As long as you can do the job who cares?

But the only thing i can see that might be bad about it is you work in care with old people or young children, might scare them or something?

 

[Alan]

I agree with her employer - Art of that magnitude belongs on a wall not a human body. Nothing against people with a tattoo (or a few) but to deface yourself to that extent and expect it not to generate some friction is just silly.

 

[Cozak]

I agree with her employer - Art of that magnitude belongs on a wall not a human body. Nothing against people with a tattoo (or a few) but to deface yourself to that extent and expect it not to generate some friction is just silly.

You might see it as defacing, others dont. It is all a matter of opinion. I reckon jobs where you are not in the public eye, when you are representing your company, should allow people to have tattoos of what they want where they want. But if you are working with the public for a company say a receptionist or a waiter or something they should not have visible tattoo's. If I sat down in a restaurant I would not expect to be waited on my someone covered in tattoos.

 

[Thorwyn]

I think it´s a matter of situation and of course common sense. If you dress like a Punk and work in a bank, giving people recommendations what papers to sign, it would certainly not add to the credibility of the institution. Likewise if you´re working in a restaurant in hippiestyle (i.e. not exactly "overrating" the importance of bodyhygiene), I wouldn´t want to eat there. I know it´s not fair, because both, the punk and the hippie could probably do a pretty good job. But on the other hand, your appearance is never an isolated parameter, it always comes with a bunch of informations and intentions for other people.

 

[tris-]

so you got 2 people. this woman who is tatood, she is uber skilled.
the other person hasnt got a tatoo and they dont know jack.

i assume, tears, you would chose the person who doesnt know jack?

(btw, you can only chose one of these 2 people)

 

[CstasY]

I think tatoo's look great, and I'l be getting one on my back this coming weekend. However they only look great when there isnt too much of them, and they are in an easy area to cover if you need to. That girl looked silly and will regret every second of it in 20 years time.

If you want to work in a professional enviroment then you need to look the part. If you want to turn your figure into something which looks like a rather bad acid trip, then you need to find some other line of work.

(Imo)

 

[Alan]

Its all about preconceptions, I think it would be fair to say that most people find extensive visible tattoos a sign of aggression.

Typical example of preconceptions :-
http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/bank-robber-p1.php

 

[tris-]

ive never seen a tatoo as a sign of agression. except when i seen one guy who was some kind of neo fascist and had some tatoos relating to that.

 

[Marc]

I am not allowed tatoos that arent covered up by my work clothes. This is my company policy.

As for tatoos, i never fail to laugh at seeing skinny chavs with tatoos on their pencil like arms. Some people suit tatoos, others dont.

 

[cHodAX]

Tat's do nothing for me at all and on women I find them a real turn off.

 

[Alan]

so you got 2 people. this woman who is tatood, she is uber skilled.
the other person hasnt got a tatoo and they dont know jack.

i assume, tears, you would chose the person who doesnt know jack?

(btw, you can only chose one of these 2 people)

It depends on the job and the situation, but there is always the option not to appoint and re-advertise.

Once as a manager recruiting a new member for the team where we had a similar situation, one experienced candidate but the team would have problems accepting them and the other a really nice person that didn't have the skills.

 

[CstasY]

Someone else said it quite well:

'Perhaps she should wear a long-sleeved shirt with a collar, like all the millions of male office workers round the world are made to.'

xD

 

[Darzil]

Well done Tattoos can look great, but aren't appreciated by many people. So expect to meet people who'll look down on it, and don't expect to work in a customer facing role in most organisations with a visible one.

Be very careful what you get, though.

The small 30-something admin guy in a suit at my old workplace looked a bit odd with LOVE and HATE tattooed on his knuckles looked somewhat odd as a result.

Darzil

 

[Outlander]

Tat's do nothing for me at all and on women I find them a real turn off.

tattoos on women make me hard!

 

[Cadiva]

I have two tattoos, both in the same place on my right shoulder blade (one covers around the other) and they are visible depending on what kind of clothing I wear.

I don't think they make the slightest bit of difference to me or my ability to do a job, however, I also can cover them up so most people never even know they are there.

My own opinion is that the girl in the story, while working behind the scenes and not meeting members of the public, is probably living a little bit in cloud cookoo land if she doesn't think some people aren't going to be put off by her excessive tattoos.

It shouldn't make a difference to her being able to do her job but it will because there will invariably be people who don't wish to look at her tattoos - that's her employers call - they could say, whether she had tattoos or not, that exposing that amount of skin was distracting

I think she's got way too many tattoos but again, it's perfectly up to her whether or not she wants that many and I respect her for her choices.
She should also respect, though, that not everyone feels the same way about having a tattoo and certainly not ones that are that visible.

 

[tris-]

i really dont see what the big deal is with tatoos. if you are narrow minded enough to think the person is a scum bag or what ever, maybe you are the one with the problem?

 

[CstasY]

i really dont see what the big deal is with tatoos. if you are narrow minded enough to think the person is a scum bag or what ever, maybe you are the one with the problem?

I think that is a disgrace. Does that mean I have a problem?

 

[Samaroon|Terracotta]

Nope, Tiger mans the one with a problem :I

 

[tris-]

but you are assuming he is not a nice person etc because he has a massive tat like that.

if someone thinks you are disgrace because your clothes are shit, is that acceptable?

 

[haarewin]

different strokes for different folks.

 

[CstasY]

I never said he wasn't a nice person. But he must be a bit odd to destroy his body like that, and yes, he HAS destroyed it.

 

[Gamah]

I never said he wasn't a nice person. But he must be a bit odd to destroy his body like that, and yes, he HAS destroyed it.

Maybe it's a birthmark xD

 

[old.Tohtori]

Different people, different ways to live, f*ck all who think they have the right to judge how tom, dick and sally behave/live if they arn't doing anything to others lifestyles.

Now, choosing people to work over appearance, it may not be right, but it's the employers right. As funny as it sounds.

Sure, employers have to think, in this day and age, whether to hire the black guy or the white guy, which is kind of wrong. Should be about people, even if they happen to be white. Funny, these days you have to think of the white peoples rights?

Anyway, that's my two cents, pretty basic i guess. Live and let live and do what you think is best, that's really all can do.

 

[Samaroon|Terracotta]

but you are assuming he is not a nice person etc because he has a massive tat like that.

if someone thinks you are disgrace because your clothes are shit, is that acceptable?

Like CstasY said, I've got nothing again him.. he may be a decent person in real life. But is there any need to complete ruin your body like he has?

 

[Outlander]

if she has to leave her job she can always do this!

yey!

 

[Naetha]

Rather than going to extremes with people tattooing themselves so they look like a leopard o) what about people for example who have tattoos like this:

or

h

or

These are the sorts of tattoos I see quite a lot - they're not particularly extreme, look quite good (not a big fan of the old english lettering, but thats just my personal taste), and yet they could easily be the reason someone didn't get a job.

 

[Cadiva]

i really dont see what the big deal is with tatoos. if you are narrow minded enough to think the person is a scum bag or what ever, maybe you are the one with the problem?

I don't think anyone would think she was a 'scum bag'. However, I see someone with the words LOVE HATE tattooed on their knuckles, I'm probably going to think they're a total idiot without waiting to find out of they're a neuclear physicist however.

Whether people like it or not, humans do have unconcious prejudices/irrational beliefs based on image etc.

EDIT: I don't think any of those tattoos are particularly bad Neetha, I like the ankle one specially I think most people accept a couple of tattoos, my granddad has tattoos on his forearms from his time during WWII, as did my grandpop. My uncle has the same from his time in the Navy, so it's not all professions that look down on tattoos, you could say it's almost expected that if you're in the services at some point you'll get a tattoo!

However, excessive tatooing (my opinion on excessive only) would, I think, put most people off who probably wouldn't be bothered about one or two visible but less obvious ones.

 

[Hansmoleman]

Like CstasY said, I've got nothing again him.. he may be a decent person in real life. But is there any need to complete ruin your body like he has?

they obviously dont think they have ruined thier body though

 

[tris-]

I never said he wasn't a nice person. But he must be a bit odd to destroy his body like that, and yes, he HAS destroyed it.

who is to say he has destroyed and ruined it? if he likes it, it doesnt effect it his health etc then how is it destroyed?

i think its ashame people get piercings. but if they like it, then who am i to say its destroyed their body?