Benefits August 3, 2007

Tattoo and Body Piercing Prejudice Exists in Workplace

August 3, 2007 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Eighty five percent of respondents said they believe tattoos and body piercings impede one's chances of finding a job, according to career publisher Vault.com's Tattoo and Body Piercing Survey.
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Despite this prejudice, only 16% of employers have an official company policy on tattoos and piercings, Vault.com said in a press release. The survey found that over half of employees with tattoos and/or body piercings opt to cover them up when they are at work.

“Regardless of who the real person may be, stereotypes associated with piercings and tattoos can and do affect others. In general, individuals with tattoos and body piercings are often viewed as ‘rougher’ or ‘less educated,'” one survey respondent said, according to Vault.com.

Forty-two percent of those surveyed admitted to having either a tattoo and/or body piercing (besides “pierced ears”), and 40% of that group had one or more tattoos while 20% had one or more piercings.

Vault’s 2007 Tattoo and Body Piercing Survey, conducted in July, is comprised of 468 responses from employees representing a variety of industries across the U.S. The complete survey results are here .

More statistics on tattoos can be found here .

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