Ink | Tattoos at work: Should they be allowed?

In previous eras, tattoos were perceived to be the calling card of an outlaw or a sailor. Within the public eye, their presence on the skin of another person meant that trouble was close by.

They may have flashed past you, on the arm of a leather-clad biker, or the neck of a drunken sailor, looking for trouble. If they came into your business, you may have been more likely to call the police than to offer them a job.

However, it’s not the 1920s anymore and tattoos have culturally transformed into yet another form of self-expression. In 2019, you’re just as likely to walk past a mother in the supermarket with her baby’s name on her wrist, or even a businessman hiding is bicep tribal wolf with a crisp white shirt than you are to encounter one on a criminal. YouGov research stated that 30% of UK adults sport some kind of tattoo – 70% of whom have at least two – 20% of whom have more than five.

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And as a result of this drastic increase, the societal view of tattoos is changing; History of Tattoos – a society created for the preservation of tattoo heritage, found that 69% of the general public see no difference between those sporting ink and those without it. Even those who don’t personally like tattoos, such as NovoUK Director of Communications and Engagement Gary Melton, agree that having tattoos should be completely acceptable in the workplace.