Are Tattoos Still Taboo in the Modern Workplace?

We all have quirky things we enjoy in life. For some, it’s a unique hobby in their spare time. Or an interesting food fetish they indulge in every now and then.

For others, it’s how they express themselves through their appearance – be it piercings or vibrant clothes, distinctive hair pieces, or flashy shoes.

For me, it’s tattoos. I’ve always had an affinity for tattoos and, up until a few months ago, I managed to hide it pretty well. Over the years, I’ve gotten small tattoos done in discrete places like my ankle, my ribs and the back of my arm.

I had been quite conservative about where my tattoos were placed, as I was worried about limiting my career opportunities or impacting relationships with clients. For a couple of years, I toyed with the idea of getting quite a large piece on my left arm. A few months ago, I found a really fantastic tattoo artist in Canberra and finally decided to take the plunge and go for it!

If you’ve been contemplating a new tattoo, or are about to apply for a role and aren’t sure what they’ll think about your existing tattoos, here are a few lessons I’ve learned from my experience…

Lesson 1: Know the workplace

Every workplace has its own culture and degree of formality. The idea of wearing chinos to work and cutting loose on casual Fridays is commonplace in some organisations. In others, it’s a suit and tie every day of the week.

I knew HorizonOne would be fine with my new tattoo as long as I was tactful, and I had met a lot of people in the APS (my client base) with large tattoos and it never appeared to be an issue.  It’s not the case with all government departments though, particularly the central departments where there tends to be a greater requirement for formality.

If you’re planning to apply for a new role, it’s worth getting a sense of their level of formality ahead of time. You could do some research – perhaps look at their website and social media, or ask people who work there. Try to get a vibe for the culture, and decide whether it aligns with your personal values.

You might also find that the organisation has a tattoo policy which states what they will and won’t accept. From a legal perspective, it’s still a bit of a grey area. Organisations cannot discriminate against people with tattoos due to cultural reasons, but they’re also free to set their own policies in terms of dress code and appearance.

Lesson 2: Anticipate the audience

As soon as I got my tattoo, I made a personal decision to manage it in an appropriate way. I respect that not everybody likes tattoos, and as such I’m always happy to adapt my appearance when the situation requires it.

For example, I typically wear a long-sleeve shirt when meeting a new client or attending a meeting in an office that I know has a more conservative audience. When I know a client well, I feel very comfortable wearing short sleeves and it’s never been an issue. In fact, it’s often a great conversation-starter!

When you don’t know your audience, I’ve found it’s best to approach with caution until you get to know them better. For instance, you may choose to cover up for an interview because you want people to focus on the words you say – not the way you look.

Interviews are all about first impressions. You want to remove anything that could cause snap judgement, so they get to know you for what you can bring to the table if you were to land the role.

Lesson 3: Seek out roles that are a good culture fit

Ultimately, I find that people tend to gravitate towards workplaces that accept them for who they are. If you are a bit quirky, it’s unlikely that you’ll find a conservative office to be a great culture match (and vice versa).

In an interview, you should be able to gage the type of culture you’d be stepping into. If it’s a good match and you land the role, you’ll naturally feel comfortable revealing more about yourself as you settle in. We see this happen with candidates all the time – such as Tabitha Herde who recently won our Contractor of the Month award. She loves bright outfits and unique accessories, which fits in fantastically with her employer’s relaxed culture where she has just won a permanent role and received a promotion.

Lastly, if you’ll be working in a client-facing role then you will need to use your judgement on a case-by-case basis. In some situations, I know my tattoos could be a barrier in getting another person to respect what I’m saying. In others, it’s a non-issue. By having this awareness, I can have the best of both worlds and feel comfortable that my personal choices aren’t impacting my work.

Times have changed, and while there’s still some stigma attached to tattoos, it’s certainly not what it used to be. There is definitely room for self-expression in the workplace, and if we approach it with respect and sensitivity, we can all have the best of both worlds!

With my new tattoo (a native flower arrangement) and covered up with little effort