Tattoos are becoming increasingly popular among younger workers, but are workplace attitudes to body art relaxing to match the trend?

A poll conducted by recruitment marketing specialists Employment Office revealed almost 60% of employers think it’s unacceptable for tattoos by be visible while at work. The study also revealed that 64% of hiring managers believe tattoos should be covered up for a job interview.

Earlier this year the Western Australian Police Force followed NSW and Victoria in proposing a ban on visible tattoos for all officers. The tattoo policy has sparked debate as new recruits may be knocked back from joining the force and serving officers could be stood down or even asked to have tattoos removed.

Other organisations are also being forced to revise their personal appearance policies to create guidelines for staff with visible body art. Generally, exceptions are made for tattoos an employee has for cultural or religious reasons, however it is otherwise at the discretion of the employer whether tattoos are acceptable in the workplace or need to be covered up.

Employment Office Managing Director Tudor Marsden-Huggins says tattoo policies vary considerably between industries and occupations.

“We find organisations operating in the professional services sector, such as finance, legal and customer service tend to have a more conservative view of tattoos and would prefer they are covered up from the view of clients.

“However attitudes are much more relaxed for tradesmen, where the focus on personal appearance is not such a large factor in service delivery. Tattoos are also more acceptable in creative industries like advertising or design where personal expression is encouraged and appreciated more than a strictly professional appearance,” he said.

Marsden-Huggins encourages employers to be open-minded about visible tattoos, urging them not to rule out an outstanding candidate immediately just because of visible body art.

“Employers need to ask themselves a number of questions including – Is the tattoo offensive? Will it impede the candidate in doing the job? How will an employee with tattoos be perceived by clients? Will it affect the business?” he said.

Ultimately, employers need to be transparent about any company policies relating to visible tattoos. Advising candidates will help avoid any potential problems in the future as the candidate progresses through interview stages.