Body Modifications in the work place

[minks]

What say you all, is this just a north american thought or world wide.

Quite personally, I think it is not quite reached world wide acceptance.



Tattoos, piercings coming out at work

Sharda Prashad -

June 27, 2005

Printer Friendly version



Discretion still advised but fewer employers care - In some cases they are seen as a mark of company hipness

With the growing acceptance of tattoos and body piercings in the mainstream, revised career advice is being doled out to jobseekers.

"A decade ago, most job search authorities would have said showing off tattoos and body piercings would be a sure way to put your résumé in the "No Way!" pile. However times have changed," says John Challenger, CEO of executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., in a report released last month.

With unemployment levels at relative lows and the search for talent becoming more difficult, employers are broadening the definition of who and what are considered suitable, explains Challenger.

"Employers are recognizing that they have to find the best talent," says Challenger. "How a candidate looks is not as important."

That could be because candidates today are indulging in body art more than ever before. Challenger, Gray & Christmas has found nearly half of students have body piercings and one quarter have tattoos. In another study conducted by the Mayo Clinic, 23 per cent of university students were found to have one to three tattoos, and 51 per cent to have one or more piercings. The study counted non-earlobe piercings for women; for men, earlobe piercings were included.

Tattoos and piercings appear to be more accepted in the technology, advertising and marketing sectors, Challenger says.

For job candidates uncertain whether to remove piercings and/or cover up tattoos, Dan Ondrack, a professor of organizational behaviour at the University of Toronto, suggests conducting a gap analysis.

"Candidates should think about the personal strategic question, 'Do I want to be me, or do I want a job?' If they think there is too big a gap between these two questions, then maybe this is not the place for them," explains Ondrack. "Or they can be 'me' on the weekends and be more conformist on the job." Another question is the effect on client relations and co-worker relations. "Will being 'me'have a negative impact on clients/co-workers, or make my own life on the job so miserable that I won't like working there?" If so, then again it's not the place for you."

Hugh Gunz, a professor at U of T's Rotman School of Management, agrees the dilemma of whether to be yourself or cover up tattoos can be a conundrum for job-seekers. But the decision they reach, Gunz adds, can provide employers with insight into their abilities during the interview phase.

"Interviews are important rituals with conventions that, if you don't observe, you show yourself to be someone who may well not fit in with the many other conventions that keep organizations running smoothly. It's a bit like good table manners: you're certainly suppressing your individuality by eating with your mouth shut and knowing which knife and fork to use, but you're also showing the kind of courtesy to your fellow diners that helps social groups stick together."

"One of the conventions for most business interviews is that you dress toward the formal end of the business scale, which for most people means covering up the piercings and tattoos, and bringing your wild hair under some vestige of control (unless, that is, it's a business in which the norm is for everyone to do their own wild thing).

"If you don't, you've shown that you lack the ability to pick up on important social cues, and you may be seen as a potential embarrassment."

From a legal perspective, employers can choose not to hire someone because of her tattoos and/or piercings, provided the decision does not contravene the Ontario Human Rights Code, explains Ross Wells, a specialist in labour and employment law Gowlings Lafleur Henderson.

Such a choice might be made to maintain a certain corporate image, says Wells.

It is more difficult for an employer to implement a no-tattoo policy after an employee is hired because it could potentially lead to a constructive dismissal suit by the employee, Wells says.

"Suppose someone with a tattoo (needs to cover it) with a large bandage," Wells explains. "The change may be something the employee can't (reasonably) accommodate," says Wells.

But he is noticing that employees may not have to alter their appearance, because businesses and employers are becoming more accepting of tattoos and piercings.

"It's a sign of the times," he says. "Employers' own children are getting these, so they are becoming more tolerant."

Monica Belcourt, a human resources professor at York University, thinks hiring people with tattoos provides a corporation with a more modern image. More conservative organizations may even benefit from allowing piercings and tattoos to be visible at work.

"A young lawyer with piercings indicates a young, cool and happening firm," explains Belcourt. "It makes the employer (appear) fun-loving and cool."

[Celtor]

It also matters where you're located. People here in Portland are much more accepting of body mods, wacky hair, strange dress, etc. I have friends who've gone for interviews in the non-profit industry where the most common comment has been "You match!" when their shoes and purse matches. I joke that as long as you've showered and are not exposing anything indecent, then most places are happy.

Being from the South, it was anathema to wear black shoes after Easter, or white shoes before...and heaven forbid you ever forgot to wear your nylons and a slip! I've had total strangers chide me for not wearing a slip

[Accountable]

Body piercings close. A tattoo seems to me to be an awfully permanent fashion statement.



I have to admit that a tattoo at the base of a woman's back does cause - er - well, adrenaline - um ... :yh_liar but just imagine 85-year-old granny with that shrunken swirl showing through her flannel nighty. Works faster than cold water doesn't it?

[abbey]

I somehow can't see a high court judge here in Britain

allowing a young "fun loving" barrister appear before him with facial piercings.

[Wolverine]

Accountable wrote: Body piercings close. A tattoo seems to me to be an awfully permanent fashion statement.



I have to admit that a tattoo at the base of a woman's back does cause - er - well, adrenaline - um ... :yh_liar but just imagine 85-year-old granny with that shrunken swirl showing through her flannel nighty. Works faster than cold water doesn't it?
*ttthhhhpppppptttttttttddd* {sound of balloon deflating}

that worked better than thinking about baseball and engine sizes.

or am I the only one who does that?

[lady cop]

EVERY cop i know has a tattoo, usually barbed wire around the upper arm. the thing is, don't get them in a place that will sag one day. mine are on shoulder (shark) and right bicep (union jack). nobody sees them when i am in uniform.

[lady cop]

and let me tell you about piercings....when we arrest someone they have to take them all out. so in prisoner intake it is one nasty scene when we have to remove them....you have no idea where they have these things. man, i put on double rubber gloves. EEWWWWWWW

[Accountable]

lady cop wrote: EVERY cop i know has a tattoo, usually barbed wire around the upper arm. the thing is, don't get them in a place that will sag one day. mine are on shoulder (shark) and right bicep (union jack). nobody sees them when i am in uniform.
I had an uncle who got a massive tiger face tattooed on his bicep when in the navy in WWII. When I saw it it was a massive black blob because his still-large muscles had shrunk. I saw an old picture though, and it looked pretty cool when new.

[BabyRider]

Wait, LC, YOU have to remove all the piercings, not the prisoner??? That's just gross... I think I'd be bathing in Clorox.



While some folks do take piercings and ink to extremes, the way a person decorates their body has nothing to do with their ability to do a job. There's probably a whole slew of very qualified applicants who've been passed over because of them. That's unfortunate.

[Accountable]

BabyRider wrote: While some folks do take piercings and ink to extremes, the way a person decorates their body has nothing to do with their ability to do a job. There's probably a whole slew of very qualified applicants who've been passed over because of them. That's unfortunate.
Show this thread to anyone thinking about getting a tattoo that customers might see at work. No matter how skilled you are, that tat might shut you out of the competition before you get the chance to show off.

[BabyRider]

You know what I would say to someone denying me work because of my tattoo? I'd explain that my tat is tribal, and represents my heritage, then ask if they were willing to openly discriminate against Native Americans. Wonder what kind of reaction I'd get....

[Accountable]

BabyRider wrote: You know what I would say to someone denying me work because of my tattoo? I'd explain that my tat is tribal, and represents my heritage, then ask if they were willing to openly discriminate against Native Americans. Wonder what kind of reaction I'd get....
First, you'd probably never know for sure, unless you're Tahitian and have one of those wild facial tats. Second, you just reminded me of an awesome office manager that had a small tattoo on the cartiledge (sp) of her ear and a feather at the base of her thumb. Very tasteful & elegant.

[actionfigurestepho]

I don't think people should be discriminated against because of how they look, and we do have a first amendment in this country, still...would you let a person with a swastika tattooed on their forehead work in your marketing firm?

[BabyRider]

actionfigurestepho wrote: I don't think people should be discriminated against because of how they look, and we do have a first amendment in this country, still...would you let a person with a swastika tattooed on their forehead work in your marketing firm?
Anyone dumb enough to tattoo a swastika on their forehead probably isn't the most qualified applicant. :yh_rotfl

[Accountable]

BabyRider wrote: Anyone dumb enough to tattoo a swastika on their forehead probably isn't the most qualified applicant. :yh_rotfl
Oh, I don't know ... Who would risk pissing him off by refusing to buy? He might just break company sales records. :yh_rotfl

[Jives]

Yeah, things may be changing, but business is still massively conservative. When I got promoted to International Training Instructor from Regional Restaurant Manager for Fat Tuesday's Corporation, I had to cut off my ponytail. It seems that restaurant managers can have long hair, but high level instructors can't. I can see why too, the people I worked with in the restaurant wore uniforms, the managers I worked with at the corporate offices and in the field wore suits and ties.

Then when I became a teacher, you absolutely wouldn't believe the flak I got about my earring! Just one little diamond stud on the left ear, but you'd think I was Charles Manson the way it affected people, especially my administrators. I got a new Superintendent the other day and he said to me, "I can see you've got classroom presence, one look at your earring and if I was a student I wouldn't want to mess with you!"

Can you believe it?:(

Thank God I don't have any tattoos or I'd be out in the cold in a heartbeat!

[Jives]

BabyRider wrote: Anyone dumb enough to tattoo a swastika on their forehead probably isn't the most qualified applicant. :yh_rotfl


What if the guy was Aryan and he said it was his heritage?:wah: I think the answer you'd both get is, "Congratulations on your heritage, but it has no business in my workplace."

[Jives]

No....I take that back. They wouldn't say a word. That way there's no way to prove that you were discriminated against. They just wouldn't pick you. And if you asked why, they'd either not answer at all or say "someone else fit our expectations better.";)

[minks]

Jives wrote: Yeah, things may be changing, but business is still massively conservative. When I got promoted to International Training Instructor from Regional Restaurant Manager for Fat Tuesday's Corporation, I had to cut off my ponytail. It seems that restaurant managers can have long hair, but high level instructors can't. I can see why too, the people I worked with in the restaurant wore uniforms, the managers I worked with at the corporate offices and in the field wore suits and ties.

Then when I became a teacher, you absolutely wouldn't believe the flak I got about my earring! Just one little diamond stud on the left ear, but you'd think I was Charles Manson the way it affected people, especially my administrators. I got a new Superintendent the other day and he said to me, "I can see you've got classroom presence, one look at your earring and if I was a student I wouldn't want to mess with you!"

Can you believe it?:(

Thank God I don't have any tattoos or I'd be out in the cold in a heartbeat!


Hehehehe that is funny Jives, the beau got his ear pierced just over 3 months ago, he has worked for one of the largest O & G companies in canada, as the IT guy, so basically chained to his computer, never sees the public only the higher ups, and whooo eeee did he catch flack for it. Good thing they can't see his tattoo ahahahahah

As well when I worked for the recruitment agency I was told to never allow my tattoo on my back to show as we dealt with some very high ups (yes one Emir or king or sheik or whatever his title) included. But because the recruitment company dealth specifically with people from the middle east a visual tat was a no no, and they told me if I were to get another that was visible they would fire me. Looking back... I shoulda done it out of spite ahahahaha

[Evelyn]

BabyRider wrote: While some folks do take piercings and ink to extremes, the way a person decorates their body has nothing to do with their ability to do a job. There's probably a whole slew of very qualified applicants who've been passed over because of them. That's unfortunate.


It may be unfortunate, but it's life. Whether or not you are obviously dirty or have body odor has no effect on your ability to do a job, but there are very few employers who will overlook what they consider to be a complete lack of consideration for others and generally unprofessional appearance. And this is where a lot of people who insist on 'different' behavior make a crucial mistake: they assume that their ability to do a job is all that is required, and that's just not true. There are folks who are enormously talented but who cannot get along with other people because they either have contempt for them for have personal issues; almost invariably these folks wind up underemployed because it's just not worth the effort to deal with the work-related problems they cause.

There's nothing morally wrong with pink hair, facial piercings, or tattoos, but a lot of people find them distracting and decide that the person sporting them is more interested in his or her appearance than in doing a job -- and it's a logical judgment. Might be incorrect, but it's not off the wall.

Everyone has to make decisions about how much of themselves they insist on expressing in the workplace -- like nonstop cursing, for example -- and how much they are willing to compromise. Women who insist on wearing almost nothing have little right to complain when they are not seen as management material. It's business, not a fashion show. It's an interesting topic!