Piercings in the workplace should be acceptable

View Comments

• Saw that you has another post on tattoos and their acceptability. Interesting because I just saw a report on a company called Zappos and their “corporate culture” is not “traditional” or “conventional” and yet the company is very successful. I am not sure I know of any companies or corporations in America that have a rule that says “Tattoos and Piercings are not considered appropriate for the workplace.” So when you say they aren't acceptable, I don't know which company or organization you're referring to.

  • I reffermoreto people in Portugal because they are still closed minded. In america there areprobably places that still do this but it isn't usually a company policy but more of a preference from the person who is hiring. This does happen alot here. These kinds of things are still frowned upon here. Sometimes they already state on the ad that they want a nice clean appearance, when they say that they refer to piercings and tattoos and that it when they don't actually put in the ad that they dont accept these things.

    • Consider the old saying: “You can't judge a book by its cover.” Seems to me job candidates ought to be evaluated mainly based on their qualifications which are an indicator of whether or not they can do the job. If they don't do their job, terminate them.

      But you know what? If it's your company, it's your company. People shouldn't be able to tell you how to run your own business. If you don't want to hire folks with tattoos and piercings, you should be able to make the final personnel decision. Yes I know that leaves the door wide open for discriminatory hiring practices. But the other “door” is that it's your company built with your blood, your sweat and your tears. You should have the right to have the last word on hiring and every other business decision.

      As for the job applicant? If you want the job and the company don't want anybody with tattoos or piercings, then that final decision is up to you. You want the job or not?

      • Yes, it is up to the company but some people get their tattoos young before they even look for a job and second of all, wouldn't you rather have a skilled person in your company then an incompentent one?

        It all depends on one's point of view. This happens in some companies here but not where i work. We actually all have tattoos, even my boss.

        It is like this, if the reason to not employ someone is based on their skin then i don't agree. They could be the best in the world and wouldn't be chosen because of some art they decided to put on their body.

        Now if it is someone who has tattoos but do not qualify at all, fine. That is acceptable.

        Either way this is starting to disapear slowly. There was a time it was worse getting a job with tattoos.

        The one thing here they are trying to do that i actually don't agree on is letting active soldiers get tattoos. In this case they shouldn't be able to have any, this is the type of thing that can identify you just by showing your skin and could get you in more danger.

        • Well it's good that it's starting to disappear. People should be hired based on whether or not they can do the job. Period! But I still maintain that if it's your company you should get to make that call. You shouldn't be forced and have someone from the outside telling you how to run your business. Suppose you only hired your family / relatives to work for your family business. Would that be wrong? Would that be discriminating? I don't think so. But that's just how I see it. Nice discussion. Thanks for replies to my comments.

• Each country has its own rules in these matters. Generally even in India if someone has tattoos or piercings they are considered things which generally people who do drugs or anti social characters would want to keep. Generally these people are also viewed with suspicion. It is something like this many of the people who use these things are bad so the odd one out is also going to be bad irrespective of what he or she may actually be that is the general human behavior all over the world.

  In India many of the women have piercings on their nose and on the earlobes and during festivals many of them also wear henna or mehendi on their hands. It is good during the sravan or rainy season months for the health too. If a woman does not wear something like this or wear a tilak on the forehead then they are viewed differently.

  Even in India police have warned students not to grow long hair and have tattoos as they are done by deviants and antisocial people in the society generally and they are usually rowdy characters. But these children are very good and want to use it as how you would want it to be used. But police do not want to take any chances and want are also worried for these children too. That is how societies, employers and law enforcement are in general. In India we also have dress code based on the company which one is working. Hope you found this information useful.

  • This information was actually quite helpful. It helps me understand how other countries react upon piercings and tattoos.

• There are no problems about tattoo or piercings in my country, it is up on person what he is doing with his own body. I also do not care if anyone has tattoo or piercings on his hace or other parts of body, it not harms my feelings.

  • But when it comes to finding a job. Does anyone discriminate or overlook those that have piercings or tattoos? Is it normal to see someone at any type of job that can have a tattoo, piercing or even an earing?

    These are the types of answers i am looking for.

    Of course when we are out on the road it doesn't make a diference. Tattoos and piercings on someone else shouldn't even bother anyone because it isn't even on their body.

• Here in the Philippines , companies have their own policies when it come to hiring people. Mostly are conservative, so piercings like those in the nose aren't allowed. EVen having tatoos is not allowed.

  I guess the Philippines is generally a conservative country when it comes to these things.

  But in my opinion, employees should respect what the company wants because anyway it is what the owners like for their companies. If you want a nice job then just d what they require of you.

  • The ting here is that some people apply to job when they already have had a tattoo or piercing for a while, they don't expect a company to say no because of these types of things, usually we think we are being evaluated on our performance and interview and not on what we have on our skin.

• people should be hired according to their experience but also there are many things to consider, you dont dress or act at work as if you are in party or as if you are in your home, so able to do the work is not enough to be hired, you have to dress in away that show respect and show that you are serious about what your doing, so that topic is big and i guess you can not say yes ban or dont ban. since you are doing work you need to consider the ppl you work for the clients youo are serving too. lots really consider while thinking of that topic for sure.