What is the nicest way to tell someone he smells?

Question

History: New co-worker shows up in the fall exuding this awful odor. We have 11 people in the entire building; he and I share an office. I have a sensitive nose so only I am affected. I speak to him a few months after his arrival. I professionally explain to him that his Met-Rx drinks make him smell. He stops drinking them and the smell goes away. I am happy.
Problem: Summer hits and he's started up again. This time I am pregnant and my nose is super-sensitive. He's trying to cover it with wearing a lot of cologne. So now he smells like a Philly cheese steak sandwich left in the car all day with a broken bottle of Reaction. If a professional talk 7 months ago didn't fix it, what will now?

Answer 1

Well he's not a *new* co worker any more now if he's been there 7 months - and if you have been sharing an office with him have you got to know him some?? Can you approach him about this again or do you think he will just take it as a complaint from you? If you can approach him about it like you did last time - do it.
If you don't think you can then go to the boss and have them do it. Now there is a third option here.... if you have got to know him and think he can take joke of sorts - wear a facial air protection mask to work one day as joke and maybe he will get the idea :-) Just put it on while you are in the office with him alone and see what he does - hopefully you two can have a laugh over it, talk about it and he will stop what he is doing. Any hardware store sells masks. Good luck

Answer 2

You are just going to have to be strait forward. Let him know or your boss know that because you are pregnant you smell things much stronger than a regular person does. Maybe he will be kind and understand. Let him know that you don't want to be mean or anything but it would be nice if he would stop for now. Or you could put in a request to move your desk since this is the second time he has done this you are justified in getting a move. Especially if you have already told him that this bothers you.
I know from when I worked in a hospital we were not allowed to wear any sort of things that smelled at all because people have allergies to that. Maybe you should lie and tell everyone that you are allergic to certain smells so that nobody can wear anything. They put signs up all over the hospital employee areas and if you did wear a sent then your boss would talk to you about it and maybe send you home. I think it was a good thing because some people do not have any taste in perfume!!!!! Or they wear so much that the whole room smells of it.

Answer 3

You tried talking to him and it worked the 1st time. I would approach him again, and if you are not lucky, I would recommend you to see an HR representative that can better take care of the problem.
In the company where I work there are several rules that employees have to follow, and I remember that excesive body odor is not allowed, since it can be a problem for your fellow co-workers (besides, who would want to smell bad?).
You have a right, and you should demmand he takes care of it, or he gets re assigned to a different desk.
Trust me, your Human resources people cant help you with this, thats what they do!

Answer 4

I would just try it again and tell him... I am really not trying to be rude but, being pregnant everything smells more intense and could you cut back on the cologne and drinks..... that way he knows and will maybe do it... if that dont work go to a higher up.... cologne can cause alot of "allergy" problems in people...

I have to same problem with smells.. I cant go to my moms house when she makes party mix.. makes me sick.... and a friend of mine wore way too much Diamonds perfume.. I just told her, honey, your giving me a headache.. not so much...
Good luck, I feel your smell pain

Answer 5

explain to him again exaxtly what you wrote above -that your pregnant and have such a weak stomache and the smell is making you really feel sick - you dont have to be nasty , but you need to be able to tell him this, if all else fails, i would go to the boss, and ask to be moved, and explain the reasons. Its not like you intentionally being nasty or mean, you have to be able to go to work and be comfortable and to have the right to that!

Answer 6

UGH! Your description makes me sick! LOL If you have told him once already that his Met-RX drinks make him smell.....tell him again. "Hey, (insert name here)...you're drinking those Met-RX drinks again, aren't you? And trust me...the cologne is making it even worse. Knock it off or I've have my morning sickness all over your desk. Thanks!"

Well...maybe not the part about tossing on his desk. But you get my drift. Good luck and congrats on the baby!

Answer 7

Explain to them that since you are especially sensitive to scent, anything he does to "cover up" his already stinky *** will only make it worse. (Well, don't say stinky ***). Attribute it to the fact that you are pregnant if you think that will help. Maybe even get a small fan and blow it toward him the whole day. If nothing seems to help, go to your boss.

Answer 8

truth is their is no nice way to tell someone they smell bad. what you should do is speak to this person again and explain that you are pregnant and the smell is really upsetting your tummy, explain that your sure if you cam to work everyday with a bad smell he would not like it.

Answer 9

Just go right up to him and tell him he smells. there's really is no nice way. but when a chick tells a guy that he smells, it hurts his pride, so he's most likely going to do something about it.

Answer 10

Don't tell him anything. Just buy him a HUGE bar of soap! If that doesn't work advise him to go see a dermatologist ASAP!