Tattoos in the workplace...?

SinIsIn

What are your thoughts?

lilRicki

I wear a sweater...but you can see my plugs, the tattoo on my neck, and the tattoo on my wrist. I want someone to see me when they walk through my office door, not my tattoos. It's a business first, fashion later. If I can see your tattoo like the guy in the picture, that's fine, but I don't want to see your 5 foot pink hair do with tears tattooed on your cheek...keep it classy.

Swampstar

I used to work for the police and my tattoos were on show (my wrists). I think it's less of a taboo now and I wouldn't want to work for a company that ask me to cover mine up.

Laceylala

I have a wrist tattoo that generally shows unless I wear a watch, ankle tattoos that are covered unless I wear a dress out and tattoos on my back high enough up that they sometimes peak out. Generally I cover them up as much as possible. Work first, fashion second as someone else mentioned. My nose is also pierced and i wear an acrylic stud with a rhinestone in it. Most people either ignore it or don't notice it.

bikermike5094

I work civil service for the us air force and military members cannot have any tattoos showing under their uniform.

Captain_Tightpants

If anyone cares, you're in the wrong firm.

I have forearm tribals, very similar to that picture you posted actually, and I earn a good wage in a good position with a reputable firm of over 3000 employees. In the summer I wear short sleeves. No worries.

jrich1

Mine arent visable, they wouldnt care where I am now, but they are forever and somewhere down the road might care.

ShapeUpSidney

depends on the workplace...if you're new to the work environment, keep them covered until you see evidence to the contrary or get a good feel for the place

sweetheart03622

Everything in moderation. If you have sleeves, cover them up. If you have a small wrist tattoo, it's fine. I have a small one-inch tattoo on my ankle that I don't think is an issue, but a co-worker has one that completely covers her foot that she keeps hidden.

rammsteinsoldier

My tattoo is on my right shoulder blade so not many dress outfits show it. I have a couple of lace tops that you can see it if you know its there. I don't see any problem with having a tattoo showing but I know some offices are strict about it. Piercings seem to cause more of a stir where I am from.

kbmnurse

Don't want to see them in the workplace. Ok if you work in a tattoo shop

fatty_to_fitty

You just have to look smart for work and tattoos don't affect that.

Also on the flip side don't get ink on your face and stretchers in your ears and not expect it to throw people when they first see you. They don't always mean offence by it.

I choose to keep mine covered at work but I don't hide who I am.

supertracylynn

Classy, not gang related, or offensive (racist, homophobic, etc) are perfectly fine.

PepeGreggerton

It's not a big deal to me personally. I think it's still taboo a lot of places though.

bikermike5094

I also was a manager for a call center for 10 years and if you had visible tatoos that were offensive ie: nudity, violence, profanity, you either covered them up or we walked you out the door.

SithZombie

Depends on the tattoo and rules of the workplace. HOWEVER, I couldn't give a flying rats *kitten* if someone has tattoos or not! I LOVE them, love asking people about the stories behind their ink. It's a great conversation starter!

fatty_to_fitty

If I can see your tattoo like the guy in the picture, that's fine, but I don't want to see your 5 foot pink hair do with tears tattooed on your cheek...keep it classy.

I disagree to a certain extent here. I know a guy who works high up for a global engine manufacturer and he rocks up to the board room with a red Mohawk and does his business, he is by all accounts very smart and good at his job.

Wash your hair and then do what you like with it I say.

bayertablets

I work at a super small law firm (boss, me, and one coworker), and my tattoos are visible all the time. I have one on my foot and one on my tragus (I have short hair, so I can't hide it anymore). Our clients rarely pay enough attention to me to notice them. I do want a chestpiece however, and wondered how many crew neck t-shirts I would have to buy to work the rest of my days there. LOL. I also have my septum pierced, but you better believe that thing stays tucked in my nostrils during work hours.

hilhall822

I am a teacher- I hid all mine (hair down to cover neck tattoos, long sleeves to cover forearm tattoos) for my interview but regularly wear short sleeves and hair up. The kids don't mind at all! I even was brave enough to do that for parent night and later asked the kids what their parents thought and the parents didn't mind, either (or none enough to tell their kids or email me about it). Mine are all pretty simple, not offensive, etc.

mallorybriann

I have wrist and tattoos on top of my feet and I just got a Marketing job.
I don't cover them up.
I dress nice. Trousers or trouser jeans, heels, flats, a cardigan, blouse etc.
I was shocked when my work was like whatever, you don't have to cover them up.
Just depends.
I live in FL, if you think I'm wearing long sleeves all the time, you're insane.

onedayillbamilf

I think they're fine as long as it's not extreme (like face and neck covered) or vulgar.

I have a tat on the back of my neck and one above my left ankle. Sometimes I wear my hair in a ponytail and sometimes I wear capri's. I work at a corporate office and I've been here for almost 5 years and so far the only comments I've had are "I love your tat".

sheepysaccount

I got very nice comments from my co-workers and boss for mine Right now I work at a call center so whatever. people don't care what you look like.

I might have to change that attitude when I start working at a school, though.

LorinaLynn

I wouldn't want an employer so narrow minded that they forbade tattoos. If they take issue with something as benign as tattoos, I doubt we'd see eye to eye on a lot of other issues.

cloud2011

Don't want to see them in the workplace. Ok if you work in a tattoo shop

I hire lots of college students for my job and sometimes will see a tattoo here and there. It's an hourly job not a career, so I don't mind. That said, I have worked in very conservative environments and I think it's more professional to cover tats, but I also think shorter nails, neat hair, and conservative clothing look better at work, too.

I'm old enough to remember my grandfather's tattoo, on his forearm, from having served in the French Foreign Legion. It wasn't pretty either.

RAFValentina

As an Officer I can't have any tattoos on show, at least not any that I didn't have that weren't pre-approved before I joined up. And certainly no new ones. However, I have none, and don't intend on getting one. I like them on others, but they're not really "me" I think I'd look a bit daft!

Ephena

My work place is very conservative on the office side and far from it on the manufacturing plant side. Unfortunately I work on the office side. I have to keep mine covered. It's not too hard although the one at the top of my back occasionally peeks out. But at least one of the ones I want to get will have to wait until I change jobs because it's a bracelet.

Seems to depend on the company and the field you work in.

kimtpa1417

I have 7 tatts and most are visible.... i have worked in healthcare at different companies for almost 15 yrs and nobody has ever minded.

fatty_to_fitty

Why is it more professional to cover them? Remember I keep mine covered anyway.

Why is a person not as professional, smart looking or capable of doing a job if you can see their tattoo?

TwinkieDong

casual Fridays throw people for a loop. lol

red01angel

Kind of off topic, but I thought it would be an appropriate addition to the thread:

MFPAddict

I am a teacher- I hid all mine (hair down to cover neck tattoos, long sleeves to cover forearm tattoos) for my interview but regularly wear short sleeves and hair up. The kids don't mind at all! I even was brave enough to do that for parent night and later asked the kids what their parents thought and the parents didn't mind, either (or none enough to tell their kids or email me about it). Mine are all pretty simple, not offensive, etc.

I personally would not care if my daughter's teacher had non-offensive tattoos on display. However, I would not appreciate her teaching asking her what I thought about it. If you want to know what parents think about something, come out and ask them. I think it was inappropriate for you to potentially put those kids in an awkward position.