Do you ever feel like you’ve been denied a job due to your appearance? Our research campaign with Greene King found that more than 40% of employers will not hire someone with visible tattoos, despite UK employment laws banning employers from discriminating against anyone because of their sex, religion or other personal characteristics.
Of 51 percent who admitted discrimination, just under half (43 per cent) turned down a candidate because of visible tattoos or their choice of clothes. Hair colour or style put off a third of judgmental bosses, while a further 21 percent say their interviewee failed to land the job because they had a disability.
Andrew Bush, group HR director at leading hospitality employer Greene King, speaking head of National Apprenticeship Week, said: “Employers should be open-minded and hire people based on potential, rather than just appearance.
Unfortunately, our research shows many businesses still judge a book by its cover – which means those talented, intelligent and experienced applicants could be overlooked because they don’t conventionally ‘look the part’.
“For us at Greene King, the most important thing is for our people to deliver great service and reflect the diverse customers we serve across the country.
“Having a tattoo, or a piercing, doesn’t mean you are unable to do a job efficiently. Employers could be discriminating against potentially brilliant candidates.”
The study, of 1,000 business owners, also found almost half of bosses admitted they can’t ‘look beyond’ an interviewee’s appearance, despite their ability to do the job.
Just under one third find it harder to ignore visible tattoos when considering a new applicant for a role.
The research was conducted as part of a news generation campaign by our sister company 72Point, generating national media exposure for Greene King with coverage across digital and print in Metro, Independent, Sun, Mirror, Express and more.
