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Employer attitudes toward persons with visible tattoos
P S Bekhor1, L Bekhor, M Gandrabur
1Department of Dermatology, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
The Australasian Journal of Dermatology
|May 1, 1995
Summary
Employers show significant bias against hiring individuals with visible tattoos, particularly in customer-facing roles. Many industries would be influenced by visible tattoos during hiring decisions.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Human Resources
- Organizational Behavior
Background:
- Visible tattoos are increasingly common in the general population.
- Employer perceptions of employees with visible tattoos can impact hiring practices.
- Understanding employer bias is crucial for workplace inclusivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess employer attitudes towards prospective employees with visible tattoos.
- To identify industries with the most significant bias against visible tattoos.
- To quantify the influence of visible tattoos on hiring decisions.
Main Methods:
- Telephone survey conducted with 242 employers across eight industry categories.
- Responses were tabulated, and confidence intervals were calculated.
- Analysis focused on hiring likelihood and influence of visible tattoos.
Main Results:
- Significant bias against visible tattoos was found in hospitality, beauty, retail, and office sectors.
- Less than 30% of employers in these sectors would hire individuals with visible tattoos.
- All industries, except building and public service, reported being influenced by visible tattoos in over 40% of cases.
Conclusions:
- Visible tattoos present a barrier to employment in several key industries.
- Employer bias against visible tattoos is prevalent and impacts hiring decisions.
- Further research into mitigating this bias is warranted for equitable hiring practices.