The majority of recruiters still find tattoos ‘undesirable’

64% of recruiters admit to being put off by applicants with tattoos, according to new findings. A study by course providers DPG also revealed that over half of those involved in the hiring process believe that tattoos have a negative impact on the workplace and were rated as the second most likely feature to limit career potential, with scruffiness reaching first place.

While many admit to avoiding prospective employees based on their tattoos, there is currently no legislation protecting tattooed workers. This is despite nearly a third of the UK possessing some body art. Choosing an employee based on their lack of tattoos is unacceptable, according to DPG, who believes companies could be missing out on vital talent.

“It’s sad to see such a superficial feature being used as a valuable way of assessing a candidate’s attitude and performance,” said Paul Drew, managing director of DPG. “With such a large amount of the population possessing tattoos, discrimination represents a very real problem that threatens to limit talented workers from entering the workforce.”

13% of recruiters did admit to actively choosing candidates with tattoos over those without, while just a third believed it didn’t affect their hiring decision. As part of a campaign to raise awareness for those discriminated for their body art, DPG has released a series of images detailing the most shocking things people have heard about their tattoos.

“What remains to be seen is if companies develop with our country’s interests and fashions or whether a significant portion of the workforce is forced to look elsewhere,” continued Drew.

“It appears that tattoos are only growing in popularity, so I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a large discrimination case soon – potentially leading to increased protection for tattooed workers, similar to the recent developments in obesity legislation.”