Visible Tattoos and Non-Traditional Hair Colors Becoming More Common in the Workplace

To paraphrase Bob Dylan, in offices across America, the times they are a-changin’. At least when it comes to the acceptance of visible tattoos in the workplace, that is. 

A recent survey conducted by Accountemps has shown that, for the most part, offices are getting a lot less stuffy. Casual attire, non-traditional hair colors and, most importantly, visible tattoos are more acceptable in the workplace than they ever have been before. Thirty-five percent of respondents said that visible tattoos used to be problematic but that is no longer the case. In addition, only 22 percent of respondents said that visible tattoos were unacceptable in the workplace. 

The numbers were pretty similar when it came to non-traditional hair color (34 percent say it was once problematic but now OK, 23 percent still find it unacceptable), non-traditional piercings (33 percent/29 percent) and casual attire (34 percent/16 percent). 

Of course, this isn’t to say that the American office is now a free-for-all where just about anything goes. Most employers still think that it’s unacceptable to curse in the office (54 percent) or to bring your pet to work (51 percent). That’s fucking bullshit, we want to pet all the puppies at all times. 

Other things that tend to raise the ire in employers are workers listening to music without headphones (41 percent), streaming live sports on your computer (39 percent) and hanging up political decor at your desk (48 percent). 

This is great progress, but we still need to change the minds of those 22 percent. We’ve definitely come too far as a society to look down on employees expressing themselves through their appearance.