When one thinks of acceptable attire in the workplace, images of shorts, sweatpants or overalls aren’t likely to appear. The same thing goes with grooming codes. Whatever isn’t common tends to turn people’s heads. But, it’s the perception they have after turning their heads that employers need to worry about. Since employees are often the first to meet customers, they must portray the company’s image accordingly. The customer’s perception must then become the employer’s reality.
Dress Code Policies
About 20 to 25 years ago the concept of casual Friday was introduced in the workplace. Its popularity grew quickly, forcing employers to address it one way or the other. Reaction to employees’ inquiries ran the gamut from disallowing it completely to extending it beyond just casual Fridays. Since then most employers have established some type of written policies for dress and grooming codes. Tattoo art is often put into the same category as body piercing when it comes to grooming codes. One unfortunate commonality is they’ve both been known to impede success during a job hunt. Unfortunately the two are stereotypically associated with rougher individuals, or those with less education. So, if this is how the customer perceives a tattoo or an eyebrow piercing, the customer’s perception becomes the employer’s reality.
Employers’ Right to Protect Their Image
Many cases have been brought against employers for wrongful termination based on dress and grooming code violations. But, typically there is some kind of twist in the case because, in general, employers are entitled to adopt dress and grooming codes that restrict everything from hairstyles to jewelry to body tattoos. They’re allowed to protect their image from being compromised as long as it doesn’t mean discriminating on the basis of race, age, gender, religion, national origin or disability.
A Fair Solution
So, where do prevailing attitudes fall today? Now more than ever, workplace environments breed culture clashes, gender biases, age ambivalence and on and on. When grooming policy is questioned or more strictly enforced, the standard by which it should be measured is referred to as “reasonable accommodation.” If the employer is making an effort to reasonably accommodate the situation without creating undue hardship to the business, then courts typically decide in their favor.
It’s Not Personal
The best advice for employees is “don’t take it personally.” Most likely, 100 percent of those with tattoos knew how the outside world would perceive them anyway. It may have even been part of the reason they got tattoos in the first place. Either way, those with tattoos should know that grooming codes in the workplace usually mirror the public’s perception of a company. It’s why the customer’s perception must be come the employer’s reality.
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