At the beginning of the second semester during my sophomore year, I impulsively decided to get my septum pierced. I had previously alluded to the idea of getting another facial piercing to my mom in the months prior, to which she would quickly shut the idea down, stating that one more piercing would ruin my chances of getting a job when I was older.
Still, I got the piercing anyway, and when I showed my mom she said the only job I would be able to get now was on a cattle farm, where I could blend in with my new “cow” ring.
Despite my moms taunting, I quickly became enamored with my new piercing, and I continued the school year with an added confidence boost.
Piercings, along with other body modifications like tattoos, can bring an individual great satisfaction by allowing them to customize their appearance, enhance certain body parts and highlight their personality.
However, despite the mood boost they bring, they are usually also subjected to mass amounts of criticism and hostility, erroneously so. To many people, piercings and tattoos can represent rebellion and non-conformity, and are therefore deemed unsuited for professional settings.
Nonetheless, as social norms continue to evolve along with people’s perceptions of what is deemed acceptable and not, it is important that the stigma surrounding body modifications in professional settings is eradicated. Not only are they important tools in self expression, they also pose several benefits to the workplace.
As previously mentioned, tattoos and piercings are sometimes viewed as rebellious and unconventional. But these notions are tremendously outdated, with changing views in society regarding body modifications continuing to make them more and more common. For instance, a 2023 study by Pew Research Center found that 32% of Americans have a tattoo. Additionally, 14% of the population have piercings in areas other than their earlobes.
Countless businesses have already recognized these shifts, with many prestigious companies including Disney, the United Parcel Service and Virgin Atlantic implementing more relaxed style codes to allow their employees to show their body modifications in the workplace, according to CNBC News.
With much of the population possessing tattoos and piercings, it would be a terrible business practice for employers to ban body modifications at work as they would severley shrink their hiring pool. Not to mention, many may not even consider applying to a position anyway if they know the company is particularly strict in their style code, potentially destroying the company’s reputation as well.
This shift in rules would also allow for a more productive and open environment in the workplace. According to one survey of 700 women working in mid to large size companies in the U.S. by the Style Space Report, 96% of respondents feel more confident in their abilities when they’re also confident in their style. Moreover, over 90% believe style is important for productivity, professionalism and leadership advancement.
Piercings and tattoos would fall under this style category, showing their importance in one’s confidence and their potential benefits in boosting workplace efficiency. Plus, their acceptance in jobs would create less judgment in physical appearance and more emphasis on worker well-being, overall not making them a threat to the workplace.
In spite of this, there are a few instances where body modifications may indeed not be appropriate for work. Other than being deemed “unprofessional looking,” many who argue against piercings and tattoos in the workplace also note how for certain types of jobs, they can actually be hazardous.
According to professional body piercer Lynn Loheide, some career paths just simply don’t allow for body modifications.
“I have had clients who got into the medical field and ended up doing life saving surgery, where the risk if a piece of jewelry somehow managed to come undone or fall out was life or death,” Loheide said. “Likewise, I’ve had clients who end up doing dangerous mining and welding work requiring them to be crawling through tight spaces, snagging and catching their piercings in the process or potentially causing them to become hurt or injured.”
While hazardous jobs such as those described above are justified in not allowing body modifications, the majority of careers that are typically strict with their style code are not as physically taxing.
According to the National Urban League Network, more conservative and customer-facing roles such as banking, luxury retail and some law firms often keep stricter rules on visible tattoos and facial piercings. Most of these jobs are often office work and feature very limited physical strain, lowering the chances of any potential hazards, therefore making piercings generally suitable for the workplace in terms of safety.
In addition, some argue that while tattoos are not as physically dangerous as piercings, they can be deemed inappropriate as well if they feature offensive or discriminatory content. Unfortunately, there are many individuals who choose to depict graphic images or hate symbols as tattoos, making fellow employees feel uncomfortable or threatened, creating a hostile work environment.
Although these kinds of tattoos are unacceptable, several workplace policies often exist to prevent individuals with them from being hired or continuing to work. Individuals with non-offensive tattoos shouldn’t face limitations in their hiring process or during their employment due to the bad decisions of others.
In all, it is time for more jobs to start recognizing shifting norms and erase these faulty rules in order for tattooed and pierced employees to feel fully comfortable and free. Although there are a plethora of social consequences to being modified, it is important that we continue to make changes to these misconceptions and stereotypes that occur in the workplace.
“I do hate that this is the reality most of us who are modified will experience, I truly wish this wasn’t the case, but it is,” Loheide said. “Now more than ever there’s so much potential for modified individuals to succeed in all walks of life.”
