Tattoos in the work place.

TattednPierced
TattednPierced Posts: 358
in Chit-Chat
I work at a job that doesn't discriminate against tattoos. Hell, I can work with my ear pincher/plugs in. Or as some people call them "gauges". I've had guests compliment my art work and ask if I planned on going bigger on my ears. I always tell them I'm satisfied with how they are. I'm at a 2G pincher, and I think it looks fine the way it is.
The thing is I got lucky with this job. I'm lucky that tattoos are not viewed as criminal here.

What I don't understand is companies will hire drugheads, people with no common sense or morals and people who are just unfit for work mentally, yet if you have a visible tattoo, it's obviously going to affect your performance. For Gods' sake what is the issue with ink being on your skin especially if it means something to you?
I feel the saying, "Judge a book not by it's cover, but by what the pages tell you" has no true meaning anymore.

I understand people want you to look professional and all, but I can easily do that as seen in one of my pictures (disregarding the cigarette hanging out of my mouth).
There is honestly nothing unprofessional about a tattoo. I can guarantee that, unless the tattoo is of a child before slaughtered by a cow for revenge. Get real, people.
How professional are drug needle track marks on an arm? How professional is someone bringing their children to the work place because the childs' father is too busy off having relations with her family members?

Anyways, the point of this thread before I got heated up by the thought of this was this.

Are your tattoos allowed to show in your line of work?
What compliments/complaints have you received about your artwork?



PS: Apologies for the rant. I just feel for the people who have to hide their skin stories.
«1345

Replies

  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    For my education based profession, I always cover up for the interview..

    Thankfully I am more focused now on music photography and writing in the media so tattoos don't matter, if anything, it's widely accepted :smile:

    Those who know the meanings behind my tattoos definitely love them as everyone of them except 1 (son's name) is related to music. I've been eyed up and down by cops who have seen the tattoo of a Luger on my arm but aside from that, compliments and ice breakers all around
  • CherokeeBabe
    CherokeeBabe Posts: 1,704 Member
    Never had a serious complaint about my ink, but many compliments. Mine are usually hidden by my clothes though, but I can show them off if I wish with different cuts of pants and shirts (low cut back/backless for my wings, bare midriff to show my wolf, bikini, sports bras/exercise tops, etc).

    I do remember one time my black wings showed through a full, long-sleeved professional button down shirt and I had to go home and put on an undershirt to hide it. That was at a casual pizza joint. They wanted to be an *Upscale* casual pizza joint and the owners wife got a bug up her butt about ANY cleavage, tattoos, the slightest wrinkle or stain, etc. Even the male workers had to change a lot of things, dress differently and slick back their hair(before putting on hairnets...). Everyone had to come in primped, polished and looking like we worked at a 5-star French restaurant just to serve greasy slices of bad pizza. :laugh:

    I work from home now, so I get to dresss however I feel like. Nice perk to have.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    Where I work, we are getting new work tops..everyone is getting a wife beater...but I'm getting a t shirt with sleeves due to my tats. It's not fair but it's not worth arguing about either.
  • berlynn_j
    berlynn_j Posts: 299 Member
    Teacher = no showing tattoos. Mine are all easily hidden except on the one on my foot. No cute sandals at work for me. But it's a profession where you are held to high standards (not saying those with tattoos don't have high standards, I have six, it's just that there are still plenty of people who think tattoos are crass, unfortunately) and we have to be above reproach in all areas for the most part. Part of the deal of the job though ;).
  • Bubble105
    Bubble105 Posts: 68 Member
    I'm not ~technically~ meant to show my tattoos as I work in an office. But I'm sure as heck not gonna wear a massive bracelet every day to cover up my wrist tattoo or boots to cover up my ankle tattoo... Most people either don't notice mine (as the visible ones are pretty small) but everyone who's noticed so far has been complimentary :)
  • Weighinginwithmy02
    Weighinginwithmy02 Posts: 369 Member
    I work at a corporate office in The Netherlands but we're a very international company with people from all over the spectrum, as far as tats, piercings, and dress code go. One of our HR specialists is in a punk band, complete with mohawk, shaved on the sides, and gauges and wears black leather with studds quite often. She doesn't get sent to talk in the induction meeting for new employees or anything due to her appearance but she's very visible in and around our campus. I see many colleagues with tats, including some of our IT department, our Products group and Finance. With that said, I have never seen anybody in upper management (MD's, VP's Directors) with any sort of piercing or visable ink. There was a MD hired recently with long hair who was asked to please cut it.
  • TattednPierced
    TattednPierced Posts: 358
    Pretty good answers, guys!
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    There was a MD hired recently with long hair who was asked to please cut it.

    Poor guy. :explode:
  • SerenaFisher
    SerenaFisher Posts: 2,170 Member
    Tattoos are fine where I work (nursing) as long as they are tasteful or will not scare our residents (older generation). In example a butterfly on your wrist? Nobody cares. A snake on your neck, nobody cares. A naked woman on your arm? You won't get highered or you will be asked to cover with long sleeves. Personally I believe that in my profession we owe it to our residents to respect them. This is THEIR home, covering a naked woman or "Satan rules" to make them feel better is a small sacrifice given that they live here and have no where else to go.
  • andiechick
    andiechick Posts: 916 Member
    I work in an further ed college and have seen quite a few people with tattoos although they tend to be of the more 'subtle' variety but certainly no one has been asked to cover them up. Mine are hidden most of the time anyway so a lot of people don't realise I have any - hell not even my mother realises I got another 8yrs ago, lol!!!
  • RaquelCasul
    RaquelCasul Posts: 26
    My tattoos are in places that are hidden by default, so the work thing has never come up for me. That's not WHY I got them in those places, just a side effect.

    I hate the body-policing "YOU MUST JUSTIFY YOUR BODY ART TO ME" attitude. Like, "oh, it's okay if it's your kids names/birthdays" or "it's okay if it's meaningful" or "it's okay if you had a really good (by my standards) reason for getting it", with the implication that your tattoos are not okay if they don't fit someone else's standards.

    The only reason you need to get a tattoo or other body mod is that you looked at it and something inside you went "YES, that is exactly how my body should look". You don't have to be able to explain it to yourself or anyone else, as long as you know that it's exactly what you want.

    Someone once described one of my tattoos as "the most pointless tattoo I've ever seen", purely because it's small and simple. It looks exactly how I want it to look, which begs the question; what did that guy think the point of a tattoo is/was?

    Oh, and the whole "You'll regret that when you're older" argument. I thought it made sense, before I had my tattoos, but I've come to realise that it doesn't. My tattoos are part of my body, like my scars, or my brown hair. I don't "regret" the scar on my wrist (broken arm). I won't regret being a brunette when my hair goes grey. I'm not going to regret having once been young when my skin in general goes wrinkly. I don't regret having pierced ears (they were done when I was a year old). I don't see why I'll regret my tattoos.

    [/rant]
  • TattednPierced
    TattednPierced Posts: 358
    Tattoos are fine where I work (nursing) as long as they are tasteful or will not scare our residents (older generation). In example a butterfly on your wrist? Nobody cares. A snake on your neck, nobody cares. A naked woman on your arm? You won't get highered or you will be asked to cover with long sleeves. Personally I believe that in my profession we owe it to our residents to respect them. This is THEIR home, covering a naked woman or "Satan rules" to make them feel better is a small sacrifice given that they live here and have no where else to go.

    Oh, there's no way I would cover my Satan Rules tattoo.. It comes complete with a naked woman with devil horns.. no way, NO WAY, bro. Hahaha.
  • SerenaFisher
    SerenaFisher Posts: 2,170 Member
    Tattoos are fine where I work (nursing) as long as they are tasteful or will not scare our residents (older generation). In example a butterfly on your wrist? Nobody cares. A snake on your neck, nobody cares. A naked woman on your arm? You won't get highered or you will be asked to cover with long sleeves. Personally I believe that in my profession we owe it to our residents to respect them. This is THEIR home, covering a naked woman or "Satan rules" to make them feel better is a small sacrifice given that they live here and have no where else to go.

    Oh, there's no way I would cover my Satan Rules tattoo.. It comes complete with a naked woman with devil horns.. no way, NO WAY, bro. Hahaha.
    I know all the cool kids are doing it, but here in the real world they get fired. Along with the ones sporting tasteful knuckle words like "c***t"

    :laugh: seriously. Its not to much to ask to cover something in respect for someone in their own home.
  • mozzie88
    mozzie88 Posts: 33
    I'm in the military, almost everyone is tattooed we don't need to hide ours but we do have rules that say they can't be offensive and that we should consult with our officers in charge before getting our face tattooed.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    this is interesting.
  • nornyb
    nornyb Posts: 224 Member
    My workplace (hospital) requires tattoos and any piercings except ears to be covered. I think it is fairly ridiculous to see bandaids covering piercings, it makes them more noticable. My tattoos are not visible unless I'm topless, and I usually wear a shirt to work, so I'm good.
  • TattednPierced
    TattednPierced Posts: 358
    My workplace (hospital) requires tattoos and any piercings except ears to be covered. I think it is fairly ridiculous to see bandaids covering piercings, it makes them more noticable. My tattoos are not visible unless I'm topless, and I usually wear a shirt to work, so I'm good.

    Bandaids over piercings lol. You think they'd just say put a clear piercing in. Or take it out. Eh.
  • fufi04
    fufi04 Posts: 471 Member
    My last job made me cover my tattoos (hospital) but at my current job they don't really mind as long as they aren't distasteful as the previous nurses said. However, I have them in places that can be covered. My instructors in nursing school wouldn't allow us to do our clinical rotation if they were visible. I know there is still many old school ppl who hire nursing managers, so I won't ever get any in places that can't be covered :/
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    My workplace (hospital) requires tattoos and any piercings except ears to be covered. I think it is fairly ridiculous to see bandaids covering piercings, it makes them more noticable. My tattoos are not visible unless I'm topless, and I usually wear a shirt to work, so I'm good.

    Bandaids over piercings lol. You think they'd just say put a clear piercing in. Or take it out. Eh.

    I remember when I had a nose ring, I got asked at a job to take it out. I am so happy my country has laws against discrimination like this. I mean ya hired me with a piercing... c'mon!
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • TattednPierced
    TattednPierced Posts: 358
    My previous job had issues with my mohawk and piercings. I didn't mind taking out the piercings but there was no way I was going to get my hair chopped just because they didn't like it.

    Luckily my current job have no issues with either so as long as I'm wearing a shirt/trousers and smart shoes I can get away with having my piercings in and my hair multi-coloured.

    The only downside to this is that they have stated if I wish to progress to the next level of my job I will have to change my appearance because it will be site visits, where as at the moment I'm office based all the time.

    What are you deciding to do with the downside?
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • TattednPierced
    TattednPierced Posts: 358
    My previous job had issues with my mohawk and piercings. I didn't mind taking out the piercings but there was no way I was going to get my hair chopped just because they didn't like it.

    Luckily my current job have no issues with either so as long as I'm wearing a shirt/trousers and smart shoes I can get away with having my piercings in and my hair multi-coloured.

    The only downside to this is that they have stated if I wish to progress to the next level of my job I will have to change my appearance because it will be site visits, where as at the moment I'm office based all the time.

    What are you deciding to do with the downside?

    Well it's the natural progression of my work, in actual fact I'm getting it cut this evening. Which is going to be strange as I haven't had a "normal" hair cut in about 3 years now. If I was being told I had to do it then I don't think i would, but as it is I'm being encouraged by my boss and my director, who really want me to take the next step. They've made it clear that it's something I don't have to do if I don't want, so as it's my choice it's not so much of an issue.

    But I have ambitions to further myself, and the only way to do that is to have the chop.

    Makes perfect sense. Congratulations on your progessions
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    i have tattoos, my sleeve isn't visible with a long sleeve shirt but i always roll them up, i've never had any complaints, but i don't work with the public i'm in a lab so i guess it's not that important however surveyors in the same company a couple have clearly visible neck tattoos and nothing has been mentioned

    i think the old ways are dying out and employers are becoming more accepting and as new generations make more of the decisions things are getting more relaxed
  • Emmapople30
    Emmapople30 Posts: 5 Member
    Omg! Here in the uk some ( not all) are very weird about tattoos and PiercingS! I've got a lovely chest piece of flowers and butterflies , went for a job interview... He told me I'd b working along side children and i might scare them!!! Lmao! Their loss of course but that was a very bizarre thing to say lololol. Funnily enough I didn't get the job ????
  • bobbyunangst
    bobbyunangst Posts: 59
    I have 4 tattoos and I work in a medical office. Our employee hand book states that tattoos and piercings are not allowed, in fact even the standard ear piercings for women are only allowed to be studs for safety reasons. I started here almost 7 years ago and almost every ones of the girls are work with now also have tattoos. Some of them show since our scrubs don't cover them. We have not lost a single patient due to the tattoos and as far as I know no one has complained to our doctor about them.

    I think it is safer for businesses to say no tattoos and then let them slide then to say that they are ok and have to explain why they can't hire someone with half their face covered or other form of unprofessional look.
  • broncosbabe
    broncosbabe Posts: 50 Member
    Military as well however we still have some restrictions - no tattoos on the face or anything that could be considered particularly offensive - no visible swearing etc. When we join though, we know there are restrictions so it's not that much of an issue. I've only got one on my wrist so far but will be getting more. Don't particularly want my face tattooed anyway :)

    Peircings are different though - not allowed to wear any peircing in uniform except girls can wear a small stud or hoop earing (very tiny, sleepers they call them) in each ear, no more. Males aren't allowed to wear any peircings while in uniform at all. I know there's a restriction with the stretcher things in ears but to be honest never looked it up because it's not something that's interested me.
  • sharon_moyer
    sharon_moyer Posts: 177
    I feel that tattoos are an expression of art. I don't see why tattoos should be hidden as long as they are in good taste. I personally don't have any tattoos, but I have a son that has 2 tattoos and a sister that has one tattoo. My companion even has tattoos. Heck, I even thought of getting a tattoo but never went through with it. I have a friend that has his own tattoo shop. I suppose that what I'm saying is that I'm for tattoos because they are an expression of someone's art!
  • Baileys83
    Baileys83 Posts: 152 Member
    I used to work in a secondary school here in the UK and they hated my tattoos. I can't quite cover the roses on my neck with a shirt and I refused to take my nose ring out as it didnt effect my job as a manager. The school thought it was a bad example to set to the students.
  • TattednPierced
    TattednPierced Posts: 358
    I used to work in a secondary school here in the UK and they hated my tattoos. I can't quite cover the roses on my neck with a shirt and I refuse to take my nose ring out however I point blank refused as it didnt effect my job as a manager. The school thought it was a bad example to set to the students.

    God forbid you influence kids to express themselves in a way they seem fit. Silly corporate world.

Categories