THE FORUM

Don't Overlook Valuable Employees Because of Tattoos
by Lisbeth Claus, Professor of Global HR

(showing a photo of a tattooed man)
Is this your next CEO?

When I ask this question to management audiences, I receive a range of responses from, “No way, never in my company,” to “It depends,” or “It doesn’t matter, as long as he is competent.” In managing the talent of our global workplaces, we are faced with new forms of diversity that go far beyond traditional race and gender issues. Managers need to explore behavioral responses in the workplace to new forms of self expression – like the increasing number of employees with non-coverable tattoos.

Tattooing is an ancient Eurasian practice of skin adornment, once primarily reserved in the West for sailors, members of the armed forces, or gangs. The practice has grown in popularity among both men and women in the past decade and transcends age demographics.

An often cited 2006 study reported in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that nearly one in four Americans between the ages of 18 and 50 are tattooed and that in the younger age group (18 to 29), 36% of Americans have at least one tattoo.

Despite their growing popularity among younger people, employers are hesitant to accept their presence on even the most productive employees, citing negative connotations and inappropriate symbolism.  Such attitudes about body modification may very well rob employers of talented employees.Organizations are not value-free and decisions in the workplace reflect the contextual values and norms of the society in which we live.

Until the advent of anti-discrimination legislation, employment decisions in the U.S. were often based on gender, race, and other person-related attributes and not necessarily job requirements. Tattoos have long been associated with negative connotations and people who freely choose to modify their bodily appearance are often considered by employers to be responsible for the consequences of their actions. Employers fear their customers will object to the appearance of tattooed employees and that customers may attribute a lack of competence to such employees.

The bottom line:  tattoos  are gaining wider social acceptance, both among men and women and in younger generations, and this will undoubtedly change the perceptions of whether employees with visible tattoos will adversely impact the image of the employer .  

However, employers do have flexibility when it comes to creating rules for employee appearance.  They key is to ensure that these rules and policies are  enforced consistently among all workers and do not violate anti-discrimination laws.

The following describes some best managerial practices regarding tattoos in the workplace:

• Have an organizational culture that supports diverse lifestyles and is all inclusive.
• Do not make value judgments about tattoos or the people who get them.
• Consider whether you need an appearance policy at all.
• Keep employee and customer interests in mind before you consider formulating an appearance policy.
• Develop a clear appearance policy depending on your organizational culture and the customers your organization serves.
• Avoid a blanket policy that bans all tattoos.
• Develop a reasonable “appearance” policy that distinguishes between jobs and business circumstances in which visible tattoos may or may not be appropriate.
• Have employees read and sign the written appearance policy.
• Enforce the policy consistently among all employees.
• Avoid sex discrimination by treating tattooed men and women in the same way when making an employment decision.
• Consider cultural practices and allow exceptions to the “no visible tattoo” rule if the policy violates any anti-discrimination laws.
• Reasonably accommodate the employee (unless it creates undue hardship for your organization) if the tattoo is part of a religious belief or practice that prohibits the employee from covering the tattoo.

There is no doubt that employers will be forced to become more accepting of tattoos and other body modifications among their employees.  Unless there are significant safety reasons for covering up tattoos (such as in hospital settings), changing societal norms will force employers to become more tolerant. This is especially true as employers face talent shortages and cannot afford to lose a talented employee because of his or her appearance. The business imperative of attracting the best talent and changing societal norms will soon make an individual’s self-expression, which has little relevance for accomplishing the requirements of the job, a moot issue.

Your next CEO, competent and prepared to serve your organization, may use ink for two reasons:  one to sign those important documents, and one for his or her tattoo.