Prior studies have indicated that employees with tattoos may be negatively judged by employees within their work environment. A new study in the Journal of Organizational Behavior suggests no negative evaluation from customers based on tattoos.
“We examined how customers evaluate tattooed employees and the organizations for which they work,” according to researchers.
“We also explored the role of tattoo-related stereotypes as a mechanism to explain the influence of employee tattoos on customers’ reactions.”
The research team at Rice University surveyed how customers evaluated workers with tattoos as well as the establishments that employed them.
“We discuss implications of our findings with respect to the shifting nature of tattoos as stigma, the role of stereotype application in understanding tattoo stigma, and the value of considering greater contextual factors in the evaluation of how tattooed employees affect organizations,” the research team’s findings explained.
