Being professional in your place of work is an important responsibility for every working individual. Carrying yourself a certain way and being formal, particularly to your seniors, is a part of every code and etiquette.
Most workplaces and employers ask their employees to dress a certain way as a part of being in the collective. It has always been a thing and it will always be a thing. There is simply something more assuring and convincing when the workers come dressed in smart clothes and when they have good manners.
An occasional casual Friday is also a good thing just to let loose and have fun, but during any other day at the office, it is important to look the part.
Beyond the Clothes
But does this formality and dress code apply to anything else? The short answer is yes, it certainly does, and it does not have to do anything with the clothes. It is still a part of the so-called dress code because it is too specific to be its own category. The thing we are talking about is tattoos.
For the longest time they have been viewed as unprofessional, rebellious, and a cause for concern. What older generations have always failed to realize is that trends change and fashion evolves. The fact that somebody has tattoos on visible parts of the body does not automatically mean they are problematic or violent.
Still, many employers have asked workers to cover their tattoos in the workplace for various reasons. But do they have the right to do this, especially now when there is so much attention on inclusion in general? We live in an era of acceptance where differences are celebrated and where physical looks and differences are no longer supposed to be divisive.
So can employers require tattoos to be covered in the workplace? Read on to find out more about this especially if you have tattoos that you think you may be asked to cover up. To learn more about this, be sure to also check out https://removery.com/blog/tattoos-in-the-workplace/.
The Stigma Around Tattoos
For decades, maybe even centuries, having a tattoo would automatically put you in a bad sort of focus among the crowds. The original reason for this is easy to understand, but that ideology is too outdated to exist in modern times. If society is to be as progressive as it needs to be, the ancient stigma surrounding body ink needs to be a thing of the past.
It all started when civilizations started mixing and finding out things about each other that were not present in their own culture. Marking the body in ritualistic paints served many purposes in history. From battles and rituals to personal fashion and religion, body paint and permanent tattoos were important cultural marks.
Things started changing when modern times rolled around. Tattoos quickly became symbols of the rebellious youth, people who belonged to certain types of bands and clubs, and those who wanted to stand out more in the crowd through the expression of art and style.
All in all, a tattooed individual, particularly one who has ink in an obvious place that is easily noticeable, would automatically be stereotyped as problematic, unprofessional, or even as a convict or a junkie.
The fact that they have a tattoo, or God forbid more of them, would make them less worthy in the eyes of others and they would get less opportunity in life. This is not the case anymore in large part, but some employers still ask the workers to cover up.
It Is a Form of Discrimination
There is no law, and there has never been a law, that forbids people from having tattoos in the workplace. It is a highly personal matter that cannot be controlled and regulated with laws like some other things.
If a candidate has tattoos and they are not hired because of them, or if an employee gets in trouble for not covering up, they are both clear victims of discrimination in the workplace.
In that case, you might consider asking for legal advice. Visit here for more information. Offensive tattoos could be problematic when the workers need to interact with clients, but only a small percentage of ink is offensive.
The reputation of the company is never tarnished when they hire a person who is a tattoo enthusiast. It is a form of fashion and a lifestyle, so why should someone be punished for it?
We preach equality left and right, and yet people are still unsure if their ink will prevent them from having successful careers. Tattoos are not what they used to be, nor do they automatically mean the person having them is a problematic individual.
A Better Solution
There are ways to do this more subtly and not even mention tattoos in the first place. Long-sleeved clothes like shirts, sweaters, and blouses can be a mandatory dress code option. Going around the stigma and not making the situation worse is always possible. A dress code needs to exist to help keep professionalism levels high.
There are still cases of hand and finger tattoos, but it matters less if the person is otherwise already professional and polite. Nobody in the modern world will bat an eye as a matter of fact, particularly middle-aged people.
Something extreme and more visible like face tattoos or having the majority of one’s body covered in the art are rare cases, but they too should not be taken as a bad sign. Nudity, foul language, and other offenses through tattoos are also specific, individual cases that should be dealt with if and when they arise.
Conclusion and Takeaways
The general attitudes towards tattoos have changed over the years, as it is increasingly harder to regulate something that widespread and personal. Professionals from all sectors have body art, more or less visible, but it is still there.
There are differences between industries but it is no longer something that can dictate whether or not somebody can have a job. In reality, tattoos can make workers more confident and ready to work if they are somewhat visible since they raise confidence as part of their identity.
Valuing somebody’s character and skills is more important for a business than what the person looks like. The positive impact of allowing tattoos is also great for the reputation of a workplace in modern times since it shows readiness for inclusion, freedom of expression, and acceptance of differences.
