My new job is in an office where there is a microwave and a toaster. I happen to sit closest to them and I have to put up with food smells. The main problem I have is with popcorn. A couple of ladies in my office pop a bag of popcorn 1-3 times a day. I actually like popcorn and I like the smell, but it is very strong where I sit and very distracting. People also toast bread and bagels which are strong smells too. No one else in the office seems to have a problem with it, and I do have the authority to get the microwave and toaster moved to the cafeteria upstairs, but I'm afraid they'll hate me for it. I am just confused about whether I have just cause to be offended by the smells, or if I should just put up with it and shut up since no one else is bothered.
2006-12-20 06:35:43 · 16 answers · asked by Ed 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
I would not say anything. Food odor I understand can be distracting, but when you are at work- you should be focusing on work related issues- not petty things like someone's popcorn.
2006-12-20 07:18:59 · answer #1 · answered by missashley929 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I understand how you feel. Some food smells make me queasy, especially burnt popcorn smell. I agree with everone else. Try moving your desk, if possible. If after another couple of weeks you still can't stand the smell, then have the appliances moved to the cafeteria. After all, the office isn't a kitchen. People can heat their lunches or make the popcorn and bring it back to their desks. Some smell will still be there, but not as much as if it were microwaved in the office.
2006-12-20 09:46:45 · answer #2 · answered by Stormilutionist Chasealogist 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I feel really sorry for you. I had a similar problem with my ex co-worker for a year. He got fired last month for different reason but he used to bring lunch every day and he brought Korean food.
I am from Korea too and I eat Korean foods at home, too. But the offices don't have a good ventilation systems and the smell of food doesn't smell as good as it does at home anymore.
And all of us tried to tell him but no one really attempted to do it because we didn't want hime to take it so personally.
And it's about food that people eat and it's really hard to confront people about that kind of personal stuff. Espacially in the work places. Thank god that he got fired but in your case. I don't know what to tell you.
There was one thing we tried for this guy. We made a sign and bought few candles and air freshner. No one would tell who put up that sign that says, "Please lite the candle when you are eating in this area and use air-freshner when finish eating" It was somehting like that, I'm sure you can twist it little better and make it sound better. That seemed to work at that time^^
Good Luck^^
2006-12-20 06:58:52 · answer #3 · answered by abby l 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you have the authority to have them moved you should also be able to have neutralizer installed. There are machines that do the job as well as less expensive "deodorizers" that consistently spray the air to get rid of nasty smells. Simple solution that won't ruffle any feathers and will give you air to breath. Hey pretty sure they wouldn't like you blowing cigarette smoke into their work area why should you have to put up with their smells?
2006-12-20 06:49:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
so this person was heating some Chinese seafood leftovers and then some Indian guy walked by smelling of onion - but I don't think it was the food !! YUK! some foods are so stinky! They should have some rules! People - you can heat up fish in microwave because everything else after that will smell like that! One time they burned pop-corn - nobody got any work done after that - people were leaving for outside coffee and breaks and home and bathrooms on different floors.
2006-12-20 06:41:57 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Sorry, you'll risk being the whiner of the office if you have it moved. Why don't you offer to switch desks with somebody else? Or else, get a can of Lysol and spray everytime some smell offends you. You are really just going to have to live with it.
2006-12-20 06:45:12 · answer #6 · answered by Christabelle 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i understand, i used to sit by the toaster (where people would BURN toast) and microwave (constantly, pop pop pop pew!)
could you post a note about keeping the door shut or something? or you could just get a new job or a new desk. sucks to be in your spot right now. good luck.
2006-12-20 06:48:55 · answer #7 · answered by theoutcrop 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I personally wouldn't have a problem with it. The closest thing to eating it is smelling it. Your office could smell worse, I'd kill for my room to smell like popcorn all the time.
~Dark Aphotic
2006-12-20 06:43:13 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Can you get moved away from the microwave? I can understand how you feel. Certain food smells make me queasy.
2006-12-20 06:56:54 · answer #9 · answered by Maria S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They should move microwave/toaster oven to cafeteria. People where I work micro fish and it stinks.
2006-12-20 07:16:17 · answer #10 · answered by Kabu 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋