Read Communicating Across Cultures: Who's Skin Is This Anyway? and respond to the Career Applications questions at the end.

Generational differences abound in the workplace, but few are quite as visible as body art: tattoos, piercings (other than ear

lobes), and hair dyes in unconventional colors. According to sur- vey data from the Pew Research Center, people younger than 40

are much more inclined than those over 40 to display some form of body art. For example, people 26 to 40 years old are four times more likely to have tattoos than people who are 41 to 64 years old. With such profound differences, it's no surprise that body

art has become a contentious issue in many workplaces, be- tween employees wanting to express themselves and employ- ers wanting to maintain particular standards of professional

appearance. As employment law attorney Danielle S. Urban notes, the issue gets even more complicated when religious symbolism is involved.

Who is likely to win this battle? Will the body art afi ciona- dos who continue to join the workforce and who are now rising

up the managerial ranks force a change in what is considered acceptable appearance in the workplace? Or will they be forced to cover up in order to meet traditional standards?

So far, most companies appear to be relying on the judg- ment of their employees and managers, rather than enforcing

strict guidelines. Many seem to accept that tastes and norms are

changing and that body art has become a widespread form of self- expression rather than a mode of rebellion. Job seekers are still

advised to be discreet, however, particularly with facial piercings and large, visible tattoos. Th e nonverbal signals you think you are sending might not be the signals a hiring manager receives.

CAREER APPLICATIONS

1. Should companies have stricter standards of appearance for "customer-facing" employees than for employees who do not interact with customers? Why or why not?

2. Should companies allow their employees the same freedom of expression and appearance latitude as their custom- ers exhibit? For example, if a fi rm's clientele tends to be heavily tattooed, should employees be allowed the same freedom? Why or why not?

3. Who's Skin Is This Anyway?

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