how do i discuss a body odor issue with one of my employees,without hurting his feelings?

Answer 1

this is one great question. im going to watch your answers because i need to know how to approach someone also.

Answer 2

Hurt his feelings? Are you serious? We just had a Discharge For Cause from our unit because of this problem. This girl had been told numerous times that she had an oder problem and she just never fixed it...so she got kicked out. We started off by using the "one-on-one" supervisor to subordinate "talk" about personal hygene. That didn't work so the unit purchased soap, shampoo and a sponge, ordered her to shower in the unit's female bathroom shower every morning for a week while a female supervisor stood outside the bathroom and made sure she washed. We figured that worked...it didn't. Things didn't get better. This girl smelled soo bad that customers wouldn't come into that part of the office. She is no longer our problem. My wife has a big fat disgusting girl in her office that just always stinks. She has dirt in her fat rolls and just reaks of body oder.

This is a personal hygene problem. Don't be to sensitive. The guy needs to know that he needs to address the problem. If it is medical he needs to see the doctor immediately. If it is just an issue of not bathing daily he needs to correct that problem. Ultimately, you need to tell the guy that if he doesn't correct the problem he will no longer work there. Period.

This is no different than a drinking problem, or a drug problem, or an issue of getting to work on time. Treat is as such.

Answer 3

Oh, man, I heard about a website where you send an email about the person's problem, and they anonymously notify the person with the problem. Grrrrr, what's the name? I can't remember. But I saw it on E! or someplace like that. Maybe search for it.

BO can be a health problem or just bad hygiene. People should get it checked out if they're not like, no, actually, I only shower twice a month. Yeah, discuss it or have an anonymous email sent or send a note that says, hey, you stink, just a note from someone who cares. I mean, don't use the word, "stink." Try "exude a pungent aroma reminiscent of runny cheese" or "assault the olfactory sensibility with foul contagion"...I don't know. Just be a grownup about it because maybe he really doesn't know. You're doing everyone a favor! And if he refuses to clean up, then you can put in his performance review that he's "not a team player when it comes to hygiene." It really can be a huge distraction. I'm a call center veteran--any BO just gives me a flashback to those cramped, dingy days. Makes me want to carry Febreze in a holster. Foul demon of stench, be gone! In the name of Airwick, Renuzit, and Glade Plug-In, depart!

Answer 4

this goes under "hostile work environment" his odor could be creating this kind of environment among the employees. i would mention it maybe during a team meeting as a general thing. not directly. i would make it seem as though you are discussing new rules and policies and bring up the issue of hygiene. or you can just discuss it directly on his quarterly evaluation. If the employee is female then i may use the first method i mentioned or have another female in the office when you give her evaluation.

Answer 5

IF you are their manager, tell them regulations require good personal hygeine and that includes having a presentable odor that is acceptable by management.

If you are just a co worker do this:

Become good friends with them hang out with them a little joke around a little. And then start talking about deodaraunt all of a sudden and ask them what they use. Then tell them they should really get a shower and you would like them more if they did that. If you canot befriend the person because they are a total odd ball and act weird AND stink, then bring a pocket can of Febreeze with you and spray the hell out of them when they get close...

Answer 6

Worked with a girl that smelled like ****, i mean ****. Could not stand next to her without gagging. Finially I had to tell the supervisor that i could not be around her. I then found out that there had been several complaints. She called the girl into her office. The girl had a cattle farm and she would hang her clothes out on the line, obviously downwind. She was so use to the smell of cow crap that she was totally desensitized to it. So she really did not have an odor, it was her clothing. Of course she was embarrassed but not offended. She stopped hanging her clothes out. So take it to employee relations or a supervisor and don't confront her yourself, cover your ***.

Answer 7

Welcome to management! Just have to treat it like any other problem discovered around the office, oh John, the copier is jamming again will you call about it, and oh hey, listen, you seem to have a body odor thing going, can you take care of that? And Marty needs a hand on that hotel booking later ... just make it one more thing, say it, move on. If the person makes a fuss, just remain matter of fact, like you'd treat it if they had a broken arm or something, like, John, it's true, pal, no big deal, just has to be corrected is all ... "don't shoot the messenger" is a good thing to say too -

Answer 8

Go buy a bar of deodorant soap, a can of deodorant spray, some deodorant shoe insoles and a plain gift card at the drug store.

Get a plain brown PAPER bag from the store too, or find one somewhere.

Have someone (not at work so he doesn't know the handwriting) fill out the card saying "Jim, we got together and got you these things. Please use them." Signed "Your coworkers"

Leave it clearly at his work area with the card taped to the outside of the bag with his name on the envelope.

Trust me, it's the most delicate way of alerting someone to this problem. Make it polite and anonymous and there less embarrassment for everyone.

Answer 9

Pull them aside and talk directly about the issue. Initially their feelings might be hurt, understandably, but in the long run they will respect you for being honest, and not tiptoeing around the situation. People can sense B.S. and wont tolerate that from management.

Answer 10

I don't know if you think Krystal hamburgers smell like BO,but since I do I will use that as an example.You would not have these up north,but start sniffing around one day and state"Geez,something smells just like (X),and I do not see anybody eating this ."You really can't do much else,short of keeping freshening spray around.I hope you are not in the military.Salute!!

Answer 11

Try to get together for lunch, and in a very "indirect" way talk about a friend of you that use to have that problem, and how he did solve it. If your employee is smart, he or she will get the point