Tattoos are common in society, but are tattoos in the workplace professional and appropriate? Despite an estimated 33% of Brits having a tattoo, attitudes and approaches to tattooed employees are mixed across businesses. The advice we will provide below will help you with determining what your dress code policy at work ought to be and how it ought to relate to tattoos in the workplace.
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Tattoo Popularity And Perceptions
According to YouGov research, 33% of Brits have at least one tattoo and 13% of Brits have a visible tattoo – that means a huge number of employees across the UK have a tattoo that could be visible in the workplace.
The above research also reflected how Millennials and Gen Z are the age groups who opt for tattoos more than others. Specifically for the age range 18-24, 45% of those surveyed had a tattoo, and 25-34 years came in at 36% with tattoos.
Historically, tattoos faced stigma in the UK and were associated with criminality or rebellion. While attitudes have gradually shifted, reservations remain.
The YouGov survey found that 63% still consider visible tattoos unprofessional. This view is particularly common among those over 55 – of whom 80% regard highly visible tattoos like facial or neck tattoos as unprofessional.
So while society is growing more accepting of tattoos, significant reservations persist in professional contexts, especially among older generations.
Tattoos And UK Employment Law
Tattoos are not a protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010. This means UK employers have broad legal rights to:
- Implement policies requiring staff to cover tattoos during work hours or events
- Reject job applicants because they have prominent or offensive tattoos
- Insist current employees permanently remove or lighten any tattoos deemed inappropriate
The only exception is tattoos relating to religious or spiritual beliefs, which may warrant protection under UK law and could lead to unfair dismissal and discrimination claims where an employer wishes to dismiss an employee simply for their tattoos and their religious connotation.
Besides this, employers can apply certain restrictions if they prefer employees to keep their tattoos hidden whilst at work. This is more common with certain professions, where tattoos could be distracting, but for many UK workplaces dress code policies are much more lenient.
Legally, you can ask your tattooed employees to cover up whether they’re a male employee, female employee, or otherwise. Employment laws in the UK don’t protect employees with tattoos or body piercings unless they are related to protected characteristics such as religion.
Right or wrong, employees with tattoos could face unfair treatment in the workplace.
Employer Concerns About Workplace Tattoos
Many employers still prefer limiting visible tattoos in the workplace. Typical concerns include:
Company Branding and Image
- Visible tattoos on customer-facing staff may seem at odds with a conservative company image and brand identity, especially in traditional sectors like law, finance and healthcare.
- This is supported by a 2019 study by the Knowledge Academy which found that many customers and consumers expect certain professions to be without tattoos.
Customer Perceptions
- Customers may find visible tattoos unprofessional. This could undermine service quality and satisfaction depending on your industry.
Coworker Comfort
- Tattoos with lewd, violent or otherwise offensive imagery may make coworkers uncomfortable. Tattoos could contribute to a hostile or sexualised work environment if the tattoos present are offensive to those around them.
Health And Safety Risks
- Tattoos can increase infection transmission risks in healthcare, food service and childcare roles which is a legitimate concern for these industries where health and safety is paramount.
Professional Standards And Conduct
- Organisations with formal dress codes aim to maintain standards by restricting visible tattoos. Law firms, law enforcement, receptionists or concierges often require a conservative, polished appearance and it’s not unusual for employees to be asked to cover up their tattoos in roles such as these.
Career Limitations
- Tattoos are permanent body alterations. Highly visible tattoos may severely limit future career options, especially in public-facing roles if those tattoos could be considered offensive.
Recruitment And Retention
- It’s worth mentioning, however, that strict anti-tattoo policies may deter some qualified candidates from applying and make it difficult to attract talent, especially among Millennial and Gen Z demographics who are more likely to have tattoos.
- Overly rigid tattoo bans are falling out of favour as tattoos become mainstream. More employers are taking a pragmatic approach focused on business needs rather than personal preferences surrounding tattoos.
Industries And Roles More Accepting Of Visible Tattoos
The acceptance of visible tattoos varies significantly depending on industry, role type and corporate culture. Some contexts tend to be more permissive:
| Creative Fields | Music, media, fashion, arts, design and similar creative industries tend to be more open to visible tattoos. Self-expression is often prized in areas like these, and in actual fact may be looked on favourably. |
| Hospitality and Entertainment | Restaurants, bars, hotels, tourism and event companies often allow visible tattoos, especially for customer-facing staff. This may be different for gourmet or fine dining establishments. |
| Manual Trades | Construction, manufacturing, mechanic and general labour roles usually permit visible non-offensive tattoos with minimal restrictions. |
| Emergency Services | Firefighters, police, paramedics and military personnel often display non-offensive arm, leg or back tattoos without issue, though facial tattoos remain taboo and offensive tattoos could prevent employment in a role in the emergency services to begin with. |
| Startups and Tech Companies | Younger tech firms and startups frequently have more relaxed attitudes about tattoos, except perhaps for client meetings or pitches where those tattoos could cause offence. |
| Back-Office vs Customer-Facing | Back-office staff generally face fewer tattoo restrictions than public-facing customer service, sales and PR personnel. |
Conversely, fields like law, finance, healthcare, academia and education often remain more conservative regarding visible tattoos, especially in client services and teaching roles.
Company Dress Codes And Tattoo Policies
Many employers address tattoos specifically through standard dress codes and appearance policies. Typical policy elements include:
- Requiring staff to keep tattoos covered during work with clothing, makeup, or bandages
- Restricting tattoo size, content, and placement (e.g. neck, face, hands)
- Allowing visible, non-offensive tattoos for specific staff – e.g. non-client facing roles
- Prohibiting offensive, racist, sexist, gang-affiliated or profane tattoo images
- Permitting visible tattoos after an initial 3-6 month new hire probationary period (usually to ensure the individual will represent the business in the right way regardless of their tattoos)
- Mandating newly visible tattoos be approved by HR or management beforehand
When instituting policies, employers should ensure rules are equitably enforced across all employees, are clearly communicated and are consistently applied across all staff regardless of role, rank or demographic background.
Policies should strike a pragmatic balance between organisational standards and recruiting, and retaining diverse talent. And dress codes regarding tattoos should be periodically reviewed to keep pace with changing social norms – and social norms are certainly changing amongst younger members of society who do not find tattoos to be particularly offensive.
Advice For Employees With Tattoos
Employees with conspicuous tattoos should adopt a professional, pragmatic approach when dealing with their employers or applying for new roles.
| Understand Current Policies | Thoroughly research company policies, norms and culture regarding tattoos before applying or interviewing. Don’t make assumptions and ask questions where necessary. |
| Prepare to Discuss | Tactfully discuss your tattoos if raised during interviews. Calmly emphasise your qualifications, enthusiasm and cultural fit, and how you’re willing to cover up those tattoos in the workplace if necessary. |
| Comply Fully | Strictly adhere to any agreed-upon limitations or coverings mandated by company policy once hired. This builds manager trust and shows your willingness to fit into the company culture. |
| Request Flexibility | Professionally request exemptions if rules cause significant detriment to your well-being or religious expression. But accept compromises gracefully for business needs. |
| Minimise Job Risks | Cautiously add new highly visible tattoos if prohibited by your employer. However, also consider that body art is a human right, too, and you ought to be free to express yourself. If you can’t express yourself at your current job, you might be able to find another elsewhere that will let you be you. |
| Lead by Example | Set an example through solid performance, teamwork, positivity and professionalism. Counter any of your employer or coworker assumptions by proving them wrong. |
| Advocate Respectfully | Occasionally advocate for updated policies if you feel it could make your workplace more attractive to others. |
With the right balance of adherence, negotiation and setting an example, employees can often reach mutually agreeable solutions for balancing personal freedom and business standards regarding tattoos.
Getting Tattooed And Your Career
It’s worth considering what a tattoo could mean for your career before going ahead with it. Rightly or wrongly, you could face difficulties in your career so think carefully before you go ahead with any new tattoos.
If you opt for a visible tattoo such as on the face, neck, or hands, then you could face difficulties in different careers and industries. You should avoid prominent tattoos in traditional or conservative corporate, legal, or education industries.
Remember too that just because your employer is lenient in your field, it doesn’t mean all employers in your area will be. Get to know the industry standard before deciding on tattoos and where to place them, because you might not be with your current employer forever.
If you want to climb the ladder in your field, then consider how tattoos are viewed in different roles if you were to progress in your career further.
With all that said, it’s important that you exercise your human right to tattoos and express yourself however you see fit – just ensure you balance this expression with your career ambitions and industry standards.
If you’re committed to getting tattoos that are visible, be mentally prepared to limit your industry options to more tattoo-friendly careers where tattoos are viewed more favourably. Prime examples are hospitality, manual trades, arts, music, tech startups and entrepreneurship.
Employees’ Rights Regarding Tattoo Discrimination
While UK employment law allows for employer policies that restrict tattoos, workers still have protections against unlawful discrimination:
- Dismissals based solely on having acceptable tattoos may be contested as unfair, provided employees comply fully with workplace policies.
- Requiring staff to remove tattoos as a condition of continued employment is likely unreasonable without a compelling argument – such as an offensive tattoo that is unable to be covered.
- Offensive tattoo content must genuinely violate company conduct policies and persistently create a hostile work environment to warrant disciplinary action.
- Ensure employers apply tattoo appearance rules equitably across all workers, regardless of gender, race, age, seniority or other protected characteristics.
So while employees should respect organisational policies, they can seek legal support if tattoo-related rules are imposed in unlawfully or unreasonably discriminatory ways.
Advice For Employers On Tattoo Policies
Forward-thinking employers should take a pragmatic yet compassionate approach to balancing their business standards with an employee’s freedom of expression:
| Policy Development |
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| Hiring Practices |
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| Management Techniques |
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| Organisational Culture |
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With the right balance of policy, enforcement, and workplace culture, employers can enable professional self-expression through body art while upholding the standards they expect at their workplace.
Final Thoughts
The key to dealing with tattoos in the workplace for employers and employees alike is to find the right balance between personal expression and business needs.
Remember that society is evolving and attitudes are changing towards tattoos in the workplace to better reflect the benefits of diversity and inclusion, but that doesn’t mean business standards must be forgotten.
By working together as employers and employees, you can find a policy and workplace culture that works for all and allows everyone to feel comfortable at work regardless of their tattoos or lack thereof.
With compromise and good judgement on appropriate tattoo type, visibility, and messaging, employers and staff can determine the right comfort zone regarding tattoos for their specific workplace context.
