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:

Changing attitudes

Having tattoos is considered taboo in some workplaces, but this has been changing in recent years. 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. In New Zealand, some businesses have dropped bans on traditional Māori tattoos. 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).