Tattoos at work

ABC Evening news is about to go into an article about corporate america not liking tattoos people have engraved into their skin.

What's your take?



(Edited: Spelling boner)

Gawd. Like the middle-brow, profit-maximizing tastes of those people matter a whit.

And earn more than the minimum wage, you might have to consider working for one of them. Their taste, their rules, their business.

When you get a tattoo, you're presumably making a statement that you don't CARE what mainstream America thinks. Oops, now you want to get in good with corporate America, so now you're crying? Whatever.

Either think about that *before* you scribble on yourself, or find yourself a nice open-minded workplace.

I worked for a huge company... now working in an office of 15 ppl. Not quite as uptight, I don't have to wear a suit or hosiery every day, but visible tattoos would still be a no-no. Although the office isn't uptight, we have a lot of very stogy, uptight clients and you never know when one is going to be here.

If you are a fork lifter in the warehouse, sure none of anyone's business.

But if you meet with customers and suppliers the corporation has a right to determine the image that it wants to present and it can be a suit and a tie, closed toed shoes, and socks (or hose for women), trimmed hair, clean nails, no BO, no mid riff exposed (very few women even look nice with their mid section exposed) and, yes, no visible tattoos.

They didn't like us with long hair in the 60s, either.

Let them hire mediocre people who never thought of doing anything outside the norm at a church and fail to prosper because of it.

Tats are small stuff.

Who thought ahead and didn't 'too anywhere that couldn't be covered by a dress shirt/blouse.

Dumbasses...


:eyes:

Who knew?

You make no sense. All I'm saying is that there are a lot of people who wear suits, to work for firms that don't allow tattoos to show, who are anything but mediocre.

I think this is two-fold. First, I've worked for the oldest school corporate dudes there have ever been. We all wore suits, every day. Women had to wear hosiery. Men could not wear earrings, and their hair could not touch their collars. No hardware in the face; no tattoos showing. This, as recently as 2002.

This was the dress code for a major insurance/financial services company; I worked for them for over eight years. Most of that time supporting the head of HR; we had over 3000 employees coast to coast.

Most of the people we serviced were baby boomers nearing retirement. They are old school. I have no problem with companies being old school like this to protect their image. It's their right; we don't have to work for them if we don't want to.

I think that some people tattoo themselves all over to preclude themselves from employment. Where can you work looking like that? A music store? A tattoo parlor? It really limits you.

All that being said... I LOVE tattoos... on other people. I'm too much of a Geminii... fickle as all hell. I'd change my mind about what I chose, then I'd be pissed at myself forever more.

.html?path=pgallery&path_key=Tyson,%20Mike%20(I)

If you were looking for a receptionist for your business would you hire a woman with tatts on her face?

regularly apply for receptionists job--but i could be wrong.

It depends on the job...

No. Wouldn't be prudent.

I like Mike.

I was looking to quickly find someone with a face tatt and he came to mind...

I would hire him .... especially if I were looking for an employee who would eat Lennox Lewis's children.

A British accent, plays chess, and ponied up big bucks to the Muhammad Ali museum...

though McCall and Rahman allowed us to see that he wasn't on the top tier of heavyweight greats.

was something in the middle. Nowadays, though, it's in the "no excuse" territory, at least for now. Too many people have them. It's part of the current culture.

Tattoos are like long hair, afros, and platform shoes. Only thing is, they're permanent.

It's like wanting people to go back to wearing spats or corsets, by suggesting that they should not have them or show them. It's not gonna happen. Tattoos just...are.

Though I have to say, some of them, like those "Juicy" ones above the asses of young ladies, or the ones on the arm muscle of the young man, designed to make the most of that "big gun," aren't gonna look so good when they're bending over their walkers in the nursing home!!

I'm reminded of another era of tattooing--in the 20's, many ladies had their makeup tattooed on their faces permanently. It's why, in the sixties and seventies, you saw old ladies whose faces looked like they were melting--the sagging didn't serve the tattoos too well...

I don't especially care for them, but that's why I eschew them for myself. Anyone else? Knock yerself out....

I've agreed with you more often than not recently, and I'm having a very hard time with that.

:silly:

:silly:

forehead.

more style.

I wouldn't keep sleeves from me hiring someone, nor piercings, nor odd hair styles/colors.

Just like it's my boss' prerogative to say no to visible tattoos. Our last receptionist had one on her shoulder, no biggie... couldn't see it at work anyway. If it showed, she would have had to cover it up or quit. When you sign a contract to work here, you agree to adhere to the stodgy standards. I don't have a problem with it. If I ever do get ink, and at this point in my life it's highly unlikely, I'd still put it where the harsh glare of office lighting wouldn't find it. I only listen to metal in my car and at home, not at work. Same deal.

I answered a question. You jump ugly. Thanks a lot.

Fucking lighten up. Jesus.

What the fuck are you talking about? Lighten up your own goddamn self fcol!

What do you pay? What's the bottom wage, and the top wage? No fair including yourself.

And, would you hire this lady to work as a front receptionist?



And if not, where do you draw the line?

Let's put it this way: Would you hire any of these people?

http://thegrumpiest.com/?p=1330
http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/66889/Tattoo_Face.html

Yeah, these guys just OOZE "Responsible person with good judgment" out of every pore. This isn't exactly a butterfly on the ankle, you know? You can't just say "tats are bad" or "tats aren't so bad". This isn't black and white - there's just an OCEAN of grey there.

the first dude could be a godsend. Picture him at any business catering to goths or gamers.

On the other hand, I wouldn't patronize a business whose public face was permanently emblazoned with swastikas. Unless it was a charity that helped reformed ex-cons, of course.

But I Feel So Bad For That Guy...

underneath all that, it might have come down to a choice between getting the Nazi tattoos and being a sex slave in prison. Hell, he might have had to do BOTH.

I did that on purpose.

Then again, I have little but contempt for the clone-worship of corporate America in the first place. Tatts are here to stay...they're becoming more popular all the time. In thirty years, they'll either have to put up or shut up.

Screw 'em.

with clothes or hair (like a nape tat) is asking for trouble.

Never again.

whatever job they want. So I guess if you make yourself less appealing for some jobs, it's a choice you make.

<shrug>

Just an excuse? Absolutely.

I wouldn't be caught dead in a suit and/or tie. Haven't owned one since I was 16 or 17. I'm just a regular joe.. jeans & t-shirts are the preferred clothing.

See, you keep your one pair of "dress" jeans.. (you know, the pair you keep in your closet and only wear when you go out somewhere, until one of your "work" pairs rips bad enough to where they're no longer wearable) and your "nice" button up shirt for going out Fri or Sat night (also good for parties, weddings and funerals), and the rest is your wardrobe. At least for me and 99% of the people I know personally.

I have long hair, a goatee and tattoos. I know it might hinder me from employment from certain places, but those are places I would never seek employment at anyways. My hair, beard and tattoos are part of who *I* am, and I won't change that for anyone. No one should have to.

Long hair, tattoos and piercings don't enhance nor diminish the person's ability to do a job and should be a non issue.

You know what you want, and you are doing it.

I'm a metal head... those shows don't come cheap in Los Angeles... I like owning my own home, drinking good booze, doing other joyful yet expensive things, and going to see live music. I don't weld (Grandpa refused to teach me cuz he didn't want me hanging with welders) or I'd probably be just like you. I like working in an office, I like being the Queen Bee in said offices. I like the money cuz I like the rock and can't afford to do it whilst working at Borders.

You made your choice, I made mine.

I won't belittle you for your choice, and I expect the same.

right on the head with your next to last sentence:
"You made your choice, I made mine."

That is exactly the point I was making. People make choices every day. I made the choice to be true to who I am. I don't fit in with the suit & tie crowd one bit, though I can understand who they are and their need to provide for themselves and their families the best way they know how. I just can't wear a tie period.. I hate anything around my neck, and the collar/tie combo actually makes me feel like I'm choking.

Some people are more comfortable with office jobs or factory jobs so they are inside and out of the elements. I've been roof laying corrugated steel decking in 105+ degree temperatures, as well as having been 15 stories in the air on a steel roof when it was 5 below zero with wind chill factors 15 to 20 below. Y'all never have to worry about losing a day's pay because of rain or snow (unless it's a heavy snow and you can't get out) or anything like that either.. there were times I looked forward to 'rain days', especially during deer season. I wouldn't work in the rain, but I'd damn sure hunt in it! :-)

I made damn good money too, averaging $1000/wk bring home. I enjoyed spending money too, owning my own home, going out, hell, I was spending $100/wk on weed...

I don't begrudge anyone for making a living. If they're doing something they love to do, that makes it even better. I've always been the type that I'd rather work for $5/hr doing something I enjoyed than to make $20/hr and have to force myself to go in every day, and think up good reasons NOT to quit...

Edited: for spelling (of course) D'OH!

for how you look, hopefully you will never regret it especially in your later years.

I'm almost 45, I was in a disabling accident at work 4 years ago and I opened my own business with my settlement money. The business (a restaurant) is almost a year old now, but I'm still struggling with it. I haven't made any money yet (spent a boatload though) but they say the first two years are the hardest. I'm moving to bigger, nicer place at the end of this month, and it's going to save me about $2500/mo right off the bat.

When I first opened up, I was there every day, 18 hours a day, open to close. I did that for 4 months, and it caught up with me quickly. I'm still paying for it now because I had reinjured myself and am unable to attend to my business full time. I'm lucky if I can handle 2 to 3 hours a day. Thankfully I've got someone good now to run it for me. I've pretty much turned management and daily operations over to my mom & dad, and I stay home and work on a few of my websites and pester people on DU. LOL!

I don't regret anything I've done in my life, good or bad, because the experiences have made me who I am today... I've always enjoyed being 'me', and I don't know how to be anyone else...

I'm about 10 years older than you and I wish I could say I have no regrets. I guess it's what I haven't done that I regret. *sigh* :D

it's never caused me any trouble in work and I've worked in some pretty fancy ass places.

...glad I threw them all out about 5 years ago.

They should be beholden to us, not the other way around.

...just felt that should be repeated....:thumbsup:

Whether it's for the security of a regular paycheck or health insurance or just what the neighbors will say, most people seem willing to sign the majority of their lives away to corporations, and I think I'm never going to do that again. Fuck 'em.

It's surprising, I know. :crazy:

You are so brainwashed that you believe working for corporate America is the only way to eat and not die. Good job, soldier.

or a spare $450,ooo to $1,000,000 laying around in pocket change. You can take that "soldier" shit and shove it straight up where only you proctologist will find it.

She died 3 weeks ago tomorrow. She leaves behind three children all under the age of ten.

Feel smart now? Do you still know everything?

Get some therapy and come back when you can talk about this rationally.

So they have to suck it up.

I personally don't fall into that category - I never expected to make a lot of money because I knew I wouldn't care to do some of the things you have to do to get it.

I didn't want the stress of the corner office, so I learned to support those people. I manage an office in a high rise in downtown Los Angeles. Pays damn good, I do what I want, I'm the Queen Bee... life is good. Not so big a compromise, really.

All that being said, if I could have made this money any other way, you damn betcha I would have.

of people make those sorts of compromise too.

But there are a LOT of people who want a big house in the suburbs, two cars and are happy to wear a tie or climb the corporate ladder. I don't mean to sound snarky about it either - if they choose it it's fine with me.

they're really scraping the bottom now.

Human beings have been wearing body art for thousands of years, why the sudden fascination with it? It's nothing new, it's nothing shocking, it's nothing scandalous, it's nothing rebellious, it's just a fad, and we all need to get the fuck over it already.

My b/f says that all the time. It used to be rebellious and set you apart from the masses... now everyone is doing it, so how is it rebellious anymore?

:shrug:

I have a tattoo on the inside of my lower left arm.

I've worn short sleeve shirts all summer.

Of course I am a desk jockey so I don't see clients or customers.

I think that if someone had an abundance of tattoos that could not be covered then corporate America might have a problem. I don't know why. Most tattoos done these days are beautiful.

But then again corporate America is not into employees expressing their individuality.

I can't help it, I am not like everyone else. I wanted my tattoo where I could see it so that when I was feeling sad I could look at the tatt and feel better.

The tattoos I like look like this!

Is this a 'slow news day' or something? Are there not enough Iraqis being killed today to make the news? We're in a fucking war for no reason other than that Bush wanted to make his friends more money and get an erection, AND THIS IS WHAT THEY REPORT?

have one...or many.

It would balance out.

For the record, I will say that I hate tattoos and piercings. I have seen many women that I thought would have been beautiful if they had not mutilated themselves. BUT, that is my opinion.

NOW, as for the Corporate view.

If the company is hiring the person for an internal job, then it should make no difference. The only criteria should be their ability to perform.

However, if part of the hiree's job requirements are meeting with clients or potential clients, the appearance is part of the job requirement. When meeting with Clients and/or potential clients, the employee is the "face" of the company and represents the image that the Company chooses to portray.

Now, here is where the interesting part comes in.

If the company chooses to hire a "slick-talking used car salesman" as the "face" of their company - well, they get what they asked for. If a company is stupid enough to fall for this tactic then neither of them will be successful in the long run. At least, that's what "Free Market" economics teaches.

If, on the other hand, the company decides to hire someone who may not be so conventional in their appearance but can "wow" the potential customer with their knowledge and abilities, then both companies should succeed. In a perfect world, anyway.

Here you have, in a nutshell, all of the arguments FOR a "Free Market". And, here you have all of the arguments AGAINST a "Free Market", since we are dealing wiht fallible, biased human beings.

No personal opinion here, I just wanted to stir up some shit and see if we can't have some real discussion. There is no "right" answer to the OP question.

Tatoos and piercing are forms of mutilation that are supposedly signs of mental illness(according to American Psychiatric Association's revised third edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R). (16). For any employer (not just coporations) tatoos and piercings are clues to a person's personality and can alert physicians, law enforcement as well as employers as to certain psychiatric predispositions.

While a single tatoo may be nothing more than body ornamentation, studies show high correlations between tqtooing and piercing with the following:

Antisocial personality disorder
Alcohol abuse and dependence
Psychoactive substance abuse and dependence
Borderline personality disorder
Implied association
Schizotypal personality disorder
Mania and bipolar disorder
Possible association also with:
Schizophrenia
Sexual fetishism (paraphilia)

Source: Psychiatric implications of tattoos
American Family Physician, May, 1990 by Robert F. Raspa, John Cusack

The DSM-III is outdated.

I'd hire him to work in the back, in the kitchen as a cook or dishwasher, where he would be out of sight of customers. The only reason I say "out of site of customers" is because I get a lot of senior citizens at my business and this is a red, fundie town. They would look down on him.

Now, if I had a biker bar or strip club, yeah he could be right up front, probably as a bouncer. He's *gotta* be a badass to take the face and neck tattoos like that, and probably doesn't give a damn what anyone thinks of him anyways...

Like I said earlier... the tattoos don't affect the quality of a persons work...

edited: (take a guess why!) D'OH!

Such a shame for such a young boy to do that to his face, mark himself for life that way.

:)

not because of the tattoos.

The president of the company has made it an unwritten policy.

Working on my sleeves right now (left arm about 60% complete, right about 50%). I work in biomedical research and interact with a LOT of people, and am about to make a jump to a supervisory position in a big research dollar facility. I have never had one single negative comment, and have actually received MANY positive comments about my tattoos. I get glowing reviews, am highly regarded both in my department and in the local research community, and enjoy my work. I am judged on my knowledge and ability. I make no effort to hide my tattoos (though they can be hidden by long sleeves should the fancy strike).

Not corporate America, I know, but the people I interact with on a daily basis are highly regarded in the research communities in both the US and abroad. These guys are literally curing cancer, so I value their opinion much more than some stodgy suit.

**just a note, tattoos aren't engraved unless they are done in the traditional manner of the maori or other such group. They're inked pushed through the epidermis with a needle driven by precision tuned machines.

..and you can say always say F-U to corporate America and its rules. Cover yourself in ink and piercings and someone will still hire you if your skills are valuable. They will "make an exception" for valuable talent.

If you want to call the shots, make yourself valuable.

the issue depends upon the specific situation. Employers must follow along to a degree with the expectations of their clientell. Durring the Internet boom some lawers for silicon vally firms where sent out in t-shirts and geans to fit in with their clients. But the same attire in court would be inappropriate. A simmilar story exists for tatoos. How visible are they, what are they OF, what is the persons job (ie no customer contact, extensive contact requireing persuation, etc). What image is the company trying to put forward.

I don't think there is a strait up OK/Not OK rule here. Just like what is ok to wear on casual friday. It's going to vary.

Many people in my age group (30-40), and younger, have tats. Usually they can hide them for work, but if it's not an offensive one, and not on your face or something like that, and you are a desk jockey, what is the big deal?

I have an ankle tattoo (got it in the early 90s, so it ages me I guess :) ), and never had a problem with it at work. I wear skirts and I don't hide it. It's quite small, though. if anyone had a problem with something little like that, I wouldn't want to work there anyway.

across his knuckles - he was in a crazy white supremacist gang in prison (yeah, wonderful) and has all kinds of hate-filled things engraved into his skin. (The one I've described is tame.)

Shit like that is not appropriate for any workplace - it could make other employees uncomfortable and breeds an environment of hostility.

Tattoos in general, that are not overtly offensive, should be allowed. I think in the past, tattoos have had a class element to them - only "certain" kinds of people had them (not that this is fair, it's just how it's been) but they really are mainstream now.

Oh, silly, that would be me. I have a BA in Communication Disorders, and a MS degree in Speech Pathology.

I got my tattoos knowing that I would be able to cover them up with clothing. My "sleeves" end above the elbow.