TATTOOS IN THE WORKPLACE

Tattoos in the Workplace Cody Clancy Colle e o! "#Pa e Co$position I Eli%a&eth Anderson "ece$&er '(th) '(1*

Tattoos in the Workplace Tattoos in the Workplace

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Introduction Tattoos ha+e &een accepted in $any c#lt#res in an incredi&ly di+erse portion o! the ,orld as a ,hole- No&ody kno,s e.actly ,hen the !irst tattoo ca$e a&o#t) &#t $any ancient $#$$ies !o#nd ,ithin Asia and E#rope had tattoos- This re/occ#rrin tendency o! h#$ans to $ark their &odies ,ith indi+id#al identities) social stat#s) and c#lt#ral e.pressions thro# h tattoos re!lects 0#st ho, po,er!#l and i$portant it is !or so$e to ha+e this !reedo$- Tattoos also contain one o! the $ost co$$on !or$s o! co$$#nication1 si$ilar to hiero lyphs that tell a story) in the past) records and e.chan es o! these stories ,ere kept ali+e #sin art- In today2s day and a e) there is a +ast $a0ority that is still opposed to tattoos in o#r c#rrently standin ,orkplace) and dee$ it #npro!essional !or e$ployees to display or ha+e +isi&le tattoos o! any sort- What these &#sinesses !ail to reali%e) ho,e+er) is that the !reedo$ to creati+ely) reli io#sly) or socially e.press one2s sel! thro# h the #se o! tattoos can e+en &ene!it their &#siness in a positi+e ,ay-

Reasons people get tattoos

Tattoos in the Workplace A- Self-Expression There are a reat n#$&er o! reasons that an indi+id#al ets a tattoo) sel!/e.pression &ein

the $ost co$$only !o#nd reason- In $any cases) it helps the$ !eel separated !ro$ the si$ilarity that r#ns a$#ck in today2s ,orld- They personali%e their skin can+as ,ith art that they $ay ha+e a personal $eanin &ehind) or 0#st to e.press the$sel+es as a creati+e indi+id#al- 3any ,ill #se tattoos to co$$e$orate a speci!ic $o$ent in their li+es) as a si n o! pro#d re$e$&rance o! ,hat they acco$plished- Others en0oy #sin tattoos to honor an i$portant !i #re in their li+es that they ,ant to cherish thro# h art- Sel!/e.pression can &e con+eyed in $any ,ays) &e it thro# h a ,ell/decorated ho$e) the clothes yo# ,ear) 0#st as ,ell as tattoos1 &rin in happiness as ,ell as relie+in those stress!#l $o$ents yo# tho# ht yo#2d ne+er et past4- Religious Beliefs Another +ery co$$on #se o! tattoos is &ased #pon reli io#s &elie!s1 people !ind peace in placin an i$a e o! 5es#s on the Cross) or their E yptian 6od) or ,hate+er deity they so choose on their &odies- It i+es the$ a sense o! protection at all ti$es) and $akes the$ !eel closer to the one that they ,orship or look #p to- They $ay also &e #sed as a !or$ o! co$$e$oration) to si ni!y a $o$ent in their li+es that they !elt ,as pro ressed thro# h) thanks to the assistance and protection o! their deityC- Rebellion This s#&cate ory is a co$$on ca#se o! the sti $a that $any tattoos are seen as #npro!essional or #ned#cated in today2s society- 3any yo#n people that are !aced ,ith the harshness o! reality at !#ll !orce !ind co$!ort in the !reedo$ o! e.pressin the$sel+es ,ith any art they ,ant ,itho#t prior appro+al- Lookin !or an o#tlet to assert their independence) the act

Tattoos in the Workplace o! ettin a tattoo pro+ides a sense o! peace or ro#ndin in the rapidly chan in ,orld &e!ore the$-

Benefits of tattoos in the workplace A- Mental Well-Being Tattoos ha+e not once &een pro+en to hinder anyone2s $ental ,ell/&ein - Once tattoos &eca$e an #naccepta&le !or$ o! e.pression in the ,orkplace) e$ployee hand&ooks e+ery,here had a section addressin their strictly !or&idden +isi&ility to clients- Ho,e+er) this does not hold &ack any physical capa&ilities or the c#sto$er ser+ice patients ,ill recei+e- I! an indi+id#al chooses to #se tattoos as sy$&olis$ !ro$ ettin past di!!ic#lt e+ents in their li!e) and are !or&idden !ro$ this e.pression) their $ental health $ay &e a!!ected &eca#se the e+ent doesn2t !eel !inished) or !#lly co$pleted in their $ind4- Di ersit! As ,ell as no inter!erence in one2s ,orkin a&ilities) tattoos &rin a reat di+ersity to ,ork en+iron$ents &eca#se o! the &elie!s or e.pressions &ehind the$- "i+ersity is a har$ony o! di!!erent +arieties o! people !ro$ di!!erent races) enders) a es) color) ethnicity) reli ion) &elie!s) physical appearance) etc- This hi h +ariety ,orks in the !a+or o! &#sinesses &y &roadenin perspecti+e sol#tions in the ,orkplace- 4#sinesses in today2s society are in direct co$petition ,ith an incredi&le n#$&er o! corporations !ro$ other continents) so they ha+e to ad0#st to chan e and indi+id#als that $ay ha+e +al#a&le skills to p#t !orth- The concept o! di+ersity in the ,orkplace &rin s !orth &etter indi+id#al attit#des and &eha+iors-

Tattoos in the Workplace C- Indi idualit! Tattoos &rin a lot o! e.cite$ent and happiness to the collectors o! the$) and &ein a&le to e.press their indi+id#ality at ,ork inspires $#ch $ore creati+e) !ree/!lo,in tho# hts- Witho#t

the restriction o! their +isi&le art,ork that creati+ely !ills and !#els so$e indi+id#als) their $inds ,ill &e $#ch $ore acti+e- This creati+ity &rin s !orth inno+ati+e tho# hts and ideas) and increases prod#cti+ity &eca#se e$ployees don2t !eel restricted in ,hat they can s# to the ta&leest or &rin

Wh! tattoos shouldn"t be allowed in the workplace There are so$e cases ,here &#siness$en are correct and ri ht in their restriction o! +isi&le tattoos ,hile at ,ork- The $indset &ehind this is $ainly d#e to the !act that they do not !ind per$anent skin art to &e pro!essional) especially to the older eneration o! people- In the e.tre$e cases) ,ith reli io#s stat#s or a!!iliation to a ro#p or cl#& ho,e+er) reli ions can &e o!!ensi+e to potential clients and are a +ery contro+ersial s#&0ect- Altho# h e$ployees sho#ld !eel !ree to e.press the$sel+es) it is #nderstanda&le that e$ployers do not ,ant their sales$en handlin c#sto$ers displayin a s,astika or other le,d sy$&ols to potential clients-

Tattooed professionals of toda! In the e+ol#tion o! the acceptance o! tattoos o+er the years) as it &eca$e $ore $edically sa!e and socially accepted) a reat n#$&er o! pro!essionals ha+e taken it #pon the$sel+es to !reely e.press their creati+e sides thro# h this pop#lar art !or$- 3any s#ccess!#l and respecta&le people in the pro!essions o! today) ran in !ro$ &#siness o,ners and pro!essionals1 to la,yers) doctors) and phar$acists all accept the e.pression o! tattoos in their pro!essional ,ork- Tho# h

Tattoos in the Workplace typically co+ered &y their day/to/day #ni!or$s they ,ear in the !ield) sho#ld yo# !eel as i! yo# are ettin any less pro!essional care si$ply &eca#se these indi+id#als ,ear tattoos:

#ooking to the future As it c#rrently stands) $ost &#sinesses still side ,ith the aspect o! ca#tion ,hen it co$es to displayin +isi&le tattoos- 3ost o! the sti $a that &elie+es the$ to +ie, indi+id#als as #npro!essional or #ned#cated has !allen o!!) !or the $ost part- The reason that $any &#sinesses still en!orce this is $ostly d#e to the clientele that is still reatly s#pplyin their c#sto$er/&aseThe older eneration &elie+es tattoos to &e a si n o! re&ellion or cri$inal personality) &eca#se o! the ti$e period they re, #p in- 4ack in the day) the only tattoos they e.perienced ,ere those o! sailors that doc#$ented their +isits to each and e+ery port) o+ern$ent anarchists) or cri$inals on dr# s- 4eca#se o! this) it2s #nderstanda&le to see ,here this +ie,point co$es !ro$) altho# h they sho#ld #nderstand ho, drastically the ti$es ha+e chan ed since then- As ti$e $o+es !or,ard and $ore enerations pass) the !ree/e.pression o! tattoos in the ,orkplace ,ill &eco$e $#ch $ore accepted and less opposed in the !or$s o! &oth art and &#siness en+iron$ents-

Tattoos in the Workplace $onclusion In s#$$ary) tattoos in the ,orkplace ha+e no proo! to a!!ect any ,orkin a&ilities- They &rin di+erse people into the ,orkplace) and conse<#ently) $ore creati+e tho# hts &y ,orkers &ein a&le to e.press the$sel+es as !reely/thinkin indi+id#als- These e$ployees sho#ld &e less scr#tini%ed) and I &elie+e they ,ill in ti$e) &eca#se this sel!/e.pression can &ene!it the $arketplace as a ,hole- This yo#n er eneration that s#pports this ,ill soon o+err#n those opposed and the only one that ,ill &e h#rt &y choosin to &e close/$inded are those that +ie, this chan e as a threat rather than a !antastic opport#nity !or ro,th-

Photostory on the ro,th o! tattoos in the ,orkplace= http://photopeach.com/album/q627tr

Tattoos in the Workplace References Kan ) 3iliann- ?Why "o People 6et Tattoos:@ The New Tattoo Subculture- '((A- We&- 1A No+

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?Tattooin and Dree E.pression-@ Center For Individual Freedom. CDID-or ) '( A# - '(('-We&- 1( No+'(11http=BB,,,-c!i!-or BhtdocsBle alEiss#esBle alE#pdatesB!irstEa$end$entEcasesBtatooE!reeEspeech-ht$

"ella+e a) 4randy- ?Tattoos in the 3odern Workplace Pose C#lt#re Clash-@ Editorial-RenoGazette Journal FRenoG 11 3ar- '((9) 4#siness sec- Daily erald. "aily Herald- '(11- We&- 1( No+- '(11- http=BB,,,-heralde.tra-co$B&#sinessBarticleE('97c9ae/e8*e/8>(>/A!17/ 98c9(c(8!e18-ht$l