Tattoos in the workplace...?

i am fully sleeved. I work for a very large international corporation. I wear long sleeves every single day. Even during summer. Do they ask me to? No. But I do it out of respect for my career. Not that ink is disrespectful, I just don't really see it as "professional".

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.

I think thats total garbage .... A tattoo is a tattoo be it an inch big or a full sleeve ....... If the rules are no tattoos then I cover mine but it needs to be fair

I have a small silhouette of a hummingbird (as in, filled in black) on the inside of my left wrist. I work retail so it's not a big deal, but I have a couple bracelets that easily cover it if I have a job interview or plan to go to a more *cough* stuffy environment. I've yet to have a customer comment on it in any way, shape, or form, since I got it. All my friends pull on my wrist and ask "what is this?" when they see me, though. lol It's nice.

I'm also loving that picture. It's actually pretty relevant to the day I had today; I had to pick up my high school transcripts, and nearly everyone that showed up during the same few minutes had huge gauged earrings, 'hawks, tattoos, piercings... and all of them together were graduating college this semester to be geneticists, doctors, lab techs, radiologists, and... one more, but I forgot. It was a proud moment, though, seeing the look on the worker's face while he made conversation with all of us.


As far as tattoos... I'm actually planning for a pretty big one running down the side of my ribs, selected secondarily because of my job. The funeral industry and its main clients aren't really in the mood for self expression and tolerance (understandably), so all ink and metal are on lockdown and covered up. I wouldn't mind seeing it personally in this field, but I can appreciate why others might not want to.

As far as all other fields, no offense or eyebrows raised at all. The tech that gives me my iron shots has huge stretched out earlobes, and it doesn't faze me in the least.

My company does not want them showing as they don't fit in the with the type of image they want to portray to the community.

When I worked in locations where I was face to face with customers all day, I could get away with my nose ring but always tried to keep my tats covered up. The location I'm in now is more "behind the scenes" so I don't worry as much. If I'm requested to go out and train or help in a branch, I will wear something with a collar.

I need a job. I'm not going to fight about their rules. It's their company and if I want a paycheck, I will abide by their standards.

My tattoos are covered for the most part, however I think if they are done right and look like a real piece of art they shouldn't be covered up.

So
A. fined a profession that doesn’t care
B. Cover them up
C. Or don't apply for a job that doesn’t allow it is as simply as common sense “LOL”
D. A company shouldn’t discriminate against it either.

three of my route techs have pretty big tattoos on they're arms and legs. all the tattoos are very tasteful, some very beautiful, so i have no problem sending them out to our customers house. the only time i've fielded a complaint was when one of our now ex route techs came in with a face tattoo. i think face, neck and hands are areas i would not allow my guys to get tattoo'd.

our current route techs are very tasteful and respectful. i had one of my guys bring me a new tat design and let me know where he was going to put it for my approval...

no problem with tasteful tattoo's..

I am a lawyer and I have one on the top of my foot that can be seen. I am in court daily and I have never had a judge comment. Other lawyers comment but I just keep the conversation moving because it has nothing to do with my profession. I find if i don't make a big deal out of it, neither does anyone else.

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?

the same reason that t shirts with dragons printed on them arent professional in the office...im guessing

It's about aesthetics, and professional looking attire, I would assume. Now, if you could get a tattoo that was very "Brooks Brothers", I suppose you wouldnt cover it...lol

I work for the Government and have a tat on my arm/wrist. I dont make a big deal out of it and I do not hide it. In fact, many of the directors have noticed and mention it; which then turns into friendly conversation.

For me, I love to see these men I work with day in and day out that wear a suit everyday except Friday. BOOM on casual Friday they have a short sleeve shirt and tons of tats... I love it. I think tats are super sexy and even more sexy when you don't expect the person to have them.

I work for the Government and have a tat on my arm/wrist. I dont make a big deal out of it and I do not hide it. In fact, many of the directors have noticed and mention it; which then turns into friendly conversation.

For me, I love to see these men I work with day in and day out that wear a suit everyday except Friday. BOOM on casual Friday they have a short sleeve shirt and tons of tats... I love it. I think tats are super sexy and even more sexy when you don't expect the person to have them.

I too work for the government and I have 10 tattoos, three that are always visible (one on each wrist and one on my foot). My tattoos have no impact on my ability to do my job, people notice them the first time they meet me and it never becomes a topic again. Personally, I feel like at some point in your career, you have to try to find a job that fits you, rather than the other way around. If an employer will not promote me based on my body art, I do not want to devote the majority of my waking hours working there anyways. I get that we live in a visual age, but in my experience the only difference between tattooed people and non-tattooed people is, tattooed people do not care if you are not tattooed.

I have 4 tattoos and most are covered this time of year. However, in the summer you can see them because of the other options of clothes. I don't have an issue with it and neither does the company I work for.

Totally did a speech over this topic!
If the person does their job well, they should be able to have them.

Sure....but a company also has the right to not hire them if they don't want tattoos in their workplace.

VERY much debatable. This wouldnt fly too well in the European court of human rights.

discrimination is discrimination whether its over race, sex, gender, sexual preference or body art.

I wear long sleeves to cover mine up at work - even on casual sex fridays. I have a sleeve in progress on my left arm that sometimes peaks out from my sleeve at the wrist but it's not that big a deal. All the rest of mine are easily covered by a long sleeve shirt. I work for a government agency in a position that is traditionally pretty conservative. There isn't a policy against visible tattoos but there are several policies that currently exist here because of me and I don't see a need to try to have them make more. There are a few other people in other divisions that have the occassional visible tattoo so maybe after my sleeve is finished I'll wear a short sleeve shirt on a friday but wearing long sleeves hasn't made me start limping yet - even in Texas summers.

I have tattoos that are visible and no one has said anything bad about them yet. If I was asked to cover them I would, out of respect for my workplace.