Professionalism

Not to be confused with Professionalization.

Professionalism is a set of standards that an individual is expected to adhere to in a workplace, usually in order to appear serious, uniform, or respectful. What constitutes professionalism is hotly debated and varies from workplace to workplace and between cultures. Professionalism is typically defined as a mix of professional ethics and dress code.

Definition

Common traits of a "professional" person include:^[1][2][3]

• integrity
• punctuality
• reliability
• organization skills
• emotional intelligence
• appropriate dress

Changing attitudes

Having tattoos is considered taboo in some workplaces, but this has been changing in recent years.^[4] A University of Miami survey found that respondents who had tattoos were more likely to be employed than non-tattooed respondents, although the researchers cautioned that this result was correlative.^[5] In New Zealand, some businesses have dropped bans on traditional Māori tattoos.^[6][7]

Hairstyles are also subject to professionalism requirements in many workplaces. In the United States, employers have banned natural hairstyles for African Americans, resulting in a push for CROWN Act laws (Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair).^[8][9]