How to politely ask my assistance not to smoke in my office without hurting her feelings?

Question

she is very helpful to me, but she spends 5 hours with me every day. i started washing my hair and clothes every day to wash away the smell of burnt tobaco : (

i don't want her to think i'm kicking her out or considering her a lower rank... she is so senstive...

At my work place we don't choose our assistants.she's the only one experienced in the KG sience activity class she knows how to prepare every thing and put everything back. My office is just a small room attached to the lab. The problem is that it's illegal to smoke at school. she considers me as a friend and i should be covering her back. if i kick her out she will find nowhere else but the bathroom to smoke.

Answer 1

I can't believe this is happening. She should not be smoking, but at least she should be smoking outside if nothing else!

I think you should be much more concerned about your health than your smell. After all, secondhand smoke has been proven to cause cancer just like first-hand smoke.

I recommend that you talk to your assistant and say that you don't want her to smoke inside the building anymore. You might say something like, "Amber, I'm your friend and I have tolerated it so far, but I really don't like it when you smoke inside the office. It's illegal and you could get into real trouble. Please don't smoke in the office anymore. There's a patio outside."

You have expressed concern about her feelings, but if she's going to work in a workplace, she has to be okay with professional conversation. It's completely possible to be professional and tell your assistant what you want her to do without being rude.

Any workplace where she works in the future would surely fire her over something like this. You are doing her a favor by not continuing to enable her to do this.

Answer 2

1. Politely tell her that you are a non-smoker and the second hand smoke bothers your lungs.

2. If she gets upset that you care about preserving a healthy body, then she's the wrong assistant for you.

3. Remember, the boss is not there to win a popularity contest. There's a job to be done, and her smoke is a big interuption. The same would be obnoxious cologne or perfumes.

4. Set up some non-smoking rules in the office and have a designated area where smokers can go on break. Each time they light up, they are stealing 7 minutes of company time to smoke that cigarette.

5. Don't get me wrong. I believe in smoker's rights, but in the work place, it's got to be neutral territory so people can do their work without getting headaches, allergic reactions, eye irritations.

Good luck and warm regards.

Answer 3

You can buy a sign for your door or desk that says "thank you for not smoking." (I believe you can also get these through your local Cancer Center.) That should be a polite, but clear, hint. If she still lights up, say (adapt this so it sounds natural to you) "I'm sorry, but I'd really prefer it if you didn't smoke in my office. The smell really bothers me, so I'm trying to establish this as a non-smoking area."

If she throws a fit over it, stand your ground. She is YOUR assistant, not the other way around, and you have the right to be comfortable in your own space, within reasonable limits. (Parading around your office naked because it makes you comfortable probably wouldn't be a very good idea.)

Answer 4

What would you prefer..to hurt her feelings or to ruin your health? If that doesn't work, point her to the millions of internet sites that detail just how much harm smoking does to the individual, and make sure you point out how even more dangerous passive smoking is. (You can look up a British entertainer called Roy Castle. He never smoked a day in his life but, because he did his shows in places where people smoked, he contracted and eventually died of lung cancer).

Answer 5

this can be a touchy subject (I'm allergic in small places so I have a good entry line). I suggest being as thoughtful as you apparently are by coming here. Just tell her the smell is bothering you, but you're happy to give her smoke breaks to accomodate both of you. Also stress that you don't judge her work performancy by her smoking.

Answer 6

Do what it takes to make it a smoke free zone. There aren't many places of employment left in the country where you are allowed to smoke in an office building.

Answer 7

You just have to be assertive. Tell your assistant that you don't like the smell of tobacco and to please smoke outside. You don't have to be 'preachy' about it or start giving lectures about health. All smokers know about the health risks. You sound like you appreciate her, therefore I'm sure she also appreciates you. She probably just doesn't realise that you don't like her smoking in the office because you haven't told her.
I smoke, but I wouldn't dream of smoking at work because most people don't.

Answer 8

well you can start by hanging a no smoking sign in a few spots in your office. and not have any ashtrays around. If she doesnt get the suttle hint then when she takes out one to light up just say summin like "NAME..I'd really like it if you would stop smoking in the office, its just so inclosed and the smoke bulids up. We can always talk about this outside or you can re join me when your finished"

Answer 9

Tell her directly. Find a replacement spot for her to go to smoke, and go with her, sometimes, so that she doesn't think that it's her you don't like, at first. Tell her that it hurt your eyes or something, something new, that smokers usually haven't heard about. It will stun her, and she'll be able to think out of the usual box.

Goodluck!

Answer 10

First, Look At Her And Then:
You open up your mouth and say, I am sorry, but I can't allow smoking in my office.
Unless, you prefer breathing second hand smoke and stinking.