Tattoos in the Workplace Statistics (2024)

FAQs

How acceptable are tattoos in the workplace? ›

Tattoos are generally accepted in the workplace as long as they're not offensive, unprofessional or distracting. In fact, nearly 3 out of 4 employers say they don't mind hiring tattooed workers. However, visible tattoos are not appropriate for every profession and may not match your company's vision.

In fact, 86% said that they don't see non-visible tattoos as unprofessional. Nevertheless, things look slightly different when it comes to visible tattoos, especially on the face and neck, as 63% of the general public would consider them unprofessional.

Gender: 38% of women have at least one tattoo, compared with 27% of men. This includes 56% of women ages 18 to 29 and 53% of women ages 30 to 49. Race and ethnicity: 39% of Black Americans have a tattoo, compared with 35% of Hispanic, 32% of White and 14% of Asian Americans.

Michael T. French of the University of Miami and colleagues surveyed more than 2,000 people in the United States and found that those with tattoos were no less likely to be employed than their uninked counterparts, and that average earnings were the same for both groups.

While there is no federal law against hiring discrimination solely based on tattoos, it's important to consider how your tattoo's composition and placement might impact your potential to be hired before you get it. A visible tattoo or statement piercing may (or may not) have an effect on your employability.

Yes, California employers can ask employees to cover tattoos and piercings. Employers can even refuse to hire potential employees with tattoos or piercings.

Problematic tattoos can be revealing about a person's character. They show employers what values or beliefs they might bring to a workplace. On the other hand, if tattoos have nudity or imagery that may be considered inappropriate for certain audiences, the tattoo can easily be covered up with clothing or makeup.

However, 73% of people say they would hire staff that had visible tattoos. 6% of tattooed people say they wouldn't hire someone with visible ink. Only 4% of tattooed or pierced people say they've actually faced discrimination in their current job.

Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning.

Tattoos are less on an issue in today's society and are becoming more accepted than they have been in the past.

How do tattoos affect perceptions of professionalism and employability in the workplace? ›

In fact, studies show that not only do tattoos do not affect an individual being hired, “tattooed individuals are also just as likely, and in some instances even more likely, to gain employment.”

The article “A Tattoo Won't Hurt Your Job Prospects,” by Alison Beard in Harvard Business Law shares that today, there is no longer a negative correlation between the job force and tattoos.

Tattoos may promote an overly casual atmosphere. Getting tattooed is a leisure activity, so conversations around that topic may be too casual for certain companies. To ensure that workplace interactions remain focused on work, organizations may decline to allow tattoos at the workplace.

Tattoos are an art form that people use to decorate their bodies, and they should not be regarded as unprofessional. If the content of a tattoo is racist, hom*ophobic, or problematic in some way, this is a different story. Problematic tattoos can be revealing about a person's character.

Tattoos, by themselves, are not a protected category under federal law. Private employees have no First Amendment right to display their tattoos at work.

“The tattoo itself, the process of tattooing, and even the business of tattooing are not expressive conduct but purely expressive activity fully protected by the First Amendment,” the appeals court explained.