Tattoos in the work place.

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  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
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    My job: client service coordinator for in home health care for seniors.
    What I do: I interview, screen, hire and train caregivers/C.N.A's to take care of these seniors/ and manage all schedules

    Rule in our industry: cover up the tattoos. Most seniors do not know about this whole "tattoo/piercing" generation and they don't like it, therefore if there are all these tattoos and piercings that cannot be covered it’s going to be VERY hard for me to place this person. It says nothing on how well they may do in the position...they may be the best caregiver in the world...but seniors don't see it that way, they go by appearances and we as a company that provides those services have to respect the clients wants and needs and hire for the demand.
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
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    At the moment I have 3, one on my wrist (I get lots of questions about it), one on my ankle (most people compliment the colors) and one on my back. I work in a professional environment and have been fortunate that none have made any negative comments. During the summer months I will wear sleeveless and parts of my back tat show, but most of the time it just starts conversations IF it is noticed.
  • melinda200208
    melinda200208 Posts: 525 Member
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    I have two tattoos. And I believe (not sure) tattoos are allowed in our work. I work at the hospital. Yeah, I know. Suprisingly enough, I have seen people walk around with tatoos showing, so I am assuming it is ok. I haven't been here for long. But my previous jobs, as working in a radiology clinic and another hospital we could not show our tattoos.

    My Opinion? I guess I do agree, tatoos do not look professional. And I am sure just one or two may look ok but, how can you tell one person their tattoo is ok but the other person that has a sleeve of tattoos that they have to cover it up?

    Recently they discussed police officers / prison guards having tattoos. I agree police officers should have their tattoos covered as well. Prison guards could get thier inmates riled up about certain tats.

    Tattoos are fine with me and I would actually like to get another one. But, I do understand why they are prohibited from certain businesses and I believe 100% the businesses have every right to tell you to hide them.
  • MrsPong
    MrsPong Posts: 580 Member
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    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.

    Not sure what branch you're in, but tattoos are not to be visible while in dress uniform.

    Ya not sure about the whole face thing....bc I know the Marine Corps you can not have anything past your elbows unless you were "grandfathered" in. With the deserts they used to roll the sleeves so they did not want to see any tattoos.
  • LavenderBouquet
    LavenderBouquet Posts: 736 Member
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    While I don't have any tattoos (...yet :smile:), I completely agree with you. Most jobs I've had (with the exception of two) always have had a no visible tattoos/piercings and no "unnatural" hair colours policy. It also made me really angry as I'm a very dependable and hard working person and yet somehow if I have my piercings in, I'm unprofessional and unworthy of the job. I see people who come into work with dirty/messy hair or not dressed in proper uniform and they give me criticism for wearing non-obtrusive jewelry. Silliness is what it is :grumble:
  • super_J73
    super_J73 Posts: 257 Member
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    My tattoos are covered, my nose is pierced. I work at a pet store, so there isn't any issues...the owner has tattoos on his neck and all over his arms. Even when I worked in an office, nobody cared about tattoos.
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    I work in the action sports industry...

    if you don't have a tattoo - you pretty much don't really belong :)

    Is there such a thing as a non action sport? :huh:

    golf?

    Not a sport I play but I think you are supposed to swing the club.

    226d744db657d20b319cb7ec3294cad5_0.jpeg.crop_display.jpg
  • Change_is_Good_
    Change_is_Good_ Posts: 272 Member
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    When I was a holiday rep we had to have ours covered, I was ok, at the time mine were all hidden anyway but some people were made to wear long sleeved polyerster shirts/plasters/tube grips in 45degree heat. The thing with this is the holiday makers would say things like "oh my are you ok what have you done?" and you then explained the policy of no tattoo, they would laugh.

    Where I am now my new one is rarely seen, especially in this weather, they are my choice but as the community here is very modest I wouldn't walk about flaunting them anyway.

    Although I have them I think the "if they aren't offensive" rule is very hard to police, what's offensive to some might not be to others. Plus I quite like the fact that mine are for me and the select people I chose to show. I do love seeing tatts though, would never be offended being servedby/doing business with someone covered head to toe
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
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    I've always said I'd rather hang out in a biker bar with a bunch of burly guys with tons of tattoos, than in a bar with a bunch of men in suits. At least with the biker dudes, I know who I'm dealing with. The same goes for the workplace. (on a side note, I've worked for the military - lots of tats; and in a corporate law offe - no tats allowed - which is where I came to my above theory! Suits can cover up a LOT of creepyness! :laugh: )
  • mariapuhl
    mariapuhl Posts: 529 Member
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    I've only ever had one job where they asked me to remove my nose piercing - cashiering at Walmart.

    When I was a student teacher, I took it out because I didn't want to be hypocritical. School rules say they can't have piercings, so I take mine out (which is amusing considering I student taught at the school I went to... and had my nose pierced my senior year).

    My two office jobs though, have never said anything about my nose piercing. Their handbooks both state no piercings or visible tattoos, but whatever, I sit in an office all day, who is going to see it. I think that's their thoughts as well.

    Being a teaching assistant at the University - they don't care at ALL. Just as long as we teach haha.
  • llama_sammich
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    It does seem to be getting more accepted, but it's still a royal pain in the [expletive deleted].

    I have a fairly large one on my forearm and, luckily, my current employer doesn't make me cover it up. I've had bosses in the past, however, that have tried making me cover it. But when summer rolls around, I get warm and basically tell them where to stick it if they try to give me grief over it. Dunno how the boss is gonna feel when I start working on my sleeves though... I'm not allowed to have any facial piercings besides my nose though, which sucks cause I really want a Monroe....

    It's art. It's not a swastika, it's not a naked girl with her legs splayed, it's not a child being slaughtered before a cow. It's a dagger and a quote from Hamlet.... If people are offended, maybe they should just stay home cause there are a lot worse things out in the world than people with tattoos.

    I'm also at a 2G in my ears (but they look like a 0G cause of the giant flares on the plugs) and my co-workers are always like, "I don't get that. That's gross." I've been so temped to say something catty, lik, "Yeah, well I think the fact that you had someone cut open your chest and insert blobs of goo so your t**s look bigger is gross. Let's keep sharing unsolicited opinions, shall we?"

    RANT! Semi-complete.... I could srsly go on all day hah... <3 body art :)
  • embersfallen
    embersfallen Posts: 534 Member
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    I work in a Surgeon's office as a receptionist...have for about 12 years....during this time I got my nose pierced, and all 5 ( soon to be 6) of my tattoo's..... 3 of my tattoos are visible....two on the underside of my wrists, one on my upper back below the neck if my hair is up.... I also have Manic Panic vampire red streaks in my hair, and at one point, had dark purple. One of our triage nurses in her 50's loved the purple so much she added a nice streak to her silver. She meets with patients and the surgeons on a daily basis face to face.

    It is a professional workplace and the bottom line has always been, as long as we conduct ourselves in a professional manner, don't come in dressed like a bum... no one cares! I am very thankful for this. Another medical facility I applied for a job for was very different and I am grateful I didn't get that job. My job is a means of making a living, but I can still be myself. Places that restrict people from being who they are are rediculous in my opinion. Creative expression should not be put down simply because we have to be in our workplace for 40 hours or so of our life every week.

    I have also seen Doctors and nurses in my facility with tattoos and piercings. They are always tasteful and the providers look professional. True, there may be a percentage of patients that are taken aback by this, but in this day and age there are also many more who are put more at ease with providers and staff they feel they can connect with.

    :bigsmile:
  • angmarie28
    angmarie28 Posts: 2,804 Member
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    we are allowed to at my work, my only one that is visible almost always is on my arm, but there are people that I work with that have weird piercings (forhead, cheeks, ect), gauged ears, half their head shaved with purple hair.
  • llama_sammich
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    True, there may be a percentage of patients that are taken aback by this, but in this day and age there are also many more who are put more at ease with providers and staff they feel they can connect with.

    :bigsmile:

    I toooootally agree with this!! Personally, I'd rather have a hot doc with tattoos than someone completely pristine and....undecorated. People with art on them seem to have more personality (this is me being shallow, btw) so I feel more comfortable with them.
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    True, there may be a percentage of patients that are taken aback by this, but in this day and age there are also many more who are put more at ease with providers and staff they feel they can connect with.

    :bigsmile:

    I toooootally agree with this!! Personally, I'd rather have a hot doc with tattoos than someone completely pristine and....undecorated. People with art on them seem to have more personality (this is me being shallow, btw) so I feel more comfortable with them.

    It depends on the tattoo. I don't want to see this on my surgeon's arm before I go under.

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  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    And I don't want to see a chef with this tattoo either.

    why-a-guy-picking-his-nose-tattoo.jpg
  • marieautumn
    marieautumn Posts: 932 Member
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    I work in a Surgeon's office as a receptionist...have for about 12 years....during this time I got my nose pierced, and all 5 ( soon to be 6) of my tattoo's..... 3 of my tattoos are visible....two on the underside of my wrists, one on my upper back below the neck if my hair is up.... I also have Manic Panic vampire red streaks in my hair, and at one point, had dark purple. One of our triage nurses in her 50's loved the purple so much she added a nice streak to her silver. She meets with patients and the surgeons on a daily basis face to face.

    It is a professional workplace and the bottom line has always been, as long as we conduct ourselves in a professional manner, don't come in dressed like a bum... no one cares! I am very thankful for this. Another medical facility I applied for a job for was very different and I am grateful I didn't get that job. My job is a means of making a living, but I can still be myself. Places that restrict people from being who they are are rediculous in my opinion. Creative expression should not be put down simply because we have to be in our workplace for 40 hours or so of our life every week.

    I have also seen Doctors and nurses in my facility with tattoos and piercings. They are always tasteful and the providers look professional. True, there may be a percentage of patients that are taken aback by this, but in this day and age there are also many more who are put more at ease with providers and staff they feel they can connect with.

    :bigsmile:

    no offense, but you have been a receptionist for 12 years and you don't think your ink may be holding you back?

    edit- also, i'm not at work to "Express myself", I'm at work to make a living, pay my mortgage and support my child. Better job = Better Income
    While I agree money isnt everything, would you go to work if you weren't being paid to be there? No? So yeah, money is the motivation behind working for most. Not to "express yourself" while doing admin work.
  • InnerConflict
    InnerConflict Posts: 1,592 Member
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    no offense, but you have been a receptionist for 12 years and you don't think your ink may be holding you back?

    No-Offense-610x406.png
  • wolverine66
    wolverine66 Posts: 3,779 Member
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    Although I have them I think the "if they aren't offensive" rule is very hard to police, what's offensive to some might not be to others.

    DING DING DING DING DING DING

    This is why businesses that have policies have blanket policies.

    Tell her what she's won, Johnny!
  • Kerry_R
    Kerry_R Posts: 25 Member
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    I work in a primary school and I normally keep covered up (a back piece and a half sleeve). However if it's a particularly hot day (not that often here in UK) I will wear a short sleeve t-shirt and I've had no complaints yet. It's actually quite funny when I see any of the kids or their parents out of school... I'm always told I don't look like I should have tattoos (not yet asked anyone what they mean by that).