How would you broach the subject with a fellow worker...?

Question

that they have terrible body odour? Answers please before this peg on my dnose kills me.

This is not a now and again problem this is EVERY DAY!

Answer 1

Be sensitive and honest.... the same way you would want someone to tell you if you were stinky one day.

Answer 2

In the first instance you will simply have to tell the worker that they have body odour and that it distresses you. I know this is difficult and embarrassing, but that's life. Of course be tactful, but be direct. It's more hurtful if you go all round the houses not quite saying the truth.

If necessary, raise the matter with the worker's immediate manager and ask him/her to deal with it, making clear that it is affecting your work. Many (perhaps most) managers are too embarrassed to approach the person concerned, but it is part of their job. If your approach does not manifestly achieve results, go back and if necessary go to your Personnel Department.

I very strongly disapprove of a manager (or other staff) leaving hints such as leaving body deodorant around the place. A manager should deal openly and honestly with subordinates. It is wrong for a manager to leave a worker in ignorance of something that my adversely affect his or her prospects at work. Such "hints" can easily degenerate into bullying, and in serious cases into an employment tribunal case. Also, even what the perpetrators may think very obvious hints may not be taken if the smelly colleague is in denial.

Bad body odour will have some underlying cause. leaving aside smoking, which many non-smokers find leaves disgusting smells, body odour might result from alcoholism, or self-neglect due to drug taking. Management would be advised to take either of these causes very seriously. However, remember that body odour may also result from medical conditions, such as incontinence, that are outside the individual's control and which indeed the person concerned may themselves be deperate to address. In such cases colleagues need to know about the situation, in so far as is consistent with individual privacy, and I would hope they would be supportive and tolerant.

Answer 3

The best way is honesty without being blunt. Ask them if they have noticed a terrible smell around here - if yes then this allows you to open the avenue for further conversation on the matter if no then persist by saying you've definately noticed and you think it is like a body odor sort of smell, not that there is anything wrong with it per se, but in an office environment there are all kinds of people with all kinds of sensitivities and it would be nice if this person (as yet 'unidentified') used some kind of deoderant. To be honest you have to get a balance between being subtle (and not hurting the person's feelings) but being honest enough to get the point across!

Answer 4

Say something like "Shucks, there's an awful smell here, Someone badly in need of a bath has been here recently.....! I'm gettin' out of here"
And then say "Bye, see you around"!

Seriously! It worked with a colleague. For about three days, that is. Then he went back to smelling! Some people feel comfortable surrounded by odours!

Answer 5

Sometimes the body odor comes from things they eat. I worked with a woman that ate a lot of garlic and her body odor would fill the room after she was in it for awhile. Some of the girls in the office bought items like deoderant and air freshener and put them on her desk before she came in one morning. I didn't think it was the right way to do it but it did seem to work. No matter how you do it, they will be offended.

Answer 6

As a manager I've had to do this a couple of times, once i started hiding deodorant sticks and soap around his office, and he took the hint. The other time i remember i took him aside and told him that this odor was bothering people around the office and that he needed to make some changes.

Best of luck w/ this stinky problem

Answer 7

Body Oder can be a sign of a serious medical condition and not just something to make jokes about. I would talk to a HR rep first since this might lead to an ADA lawsuit.

Answer 8

Be subtle and sensitive. Walk into the office while she/he is there, and shout "CHRIST ALMIGHTY!?! DID A COW S H I T IN HERE OR SOMETHING?!?" Then look about you, point at the person in question and say "No, it looks like old Stinky Britches is ponging up the place again. What are you, French?"

Should do the trick.

Answer 9

if you dont tell him he will never be able to do something about it. why not when its his b.day or something give him a nice deodrant kit or something. if you dont want to tell him why not just slip a can of deodrant into his desk when hes not looking. or why not build a conversation up about aftershave brands and advise him that he should get one as its a really good brand and is going cheap or somehting.

If you want buy him something and make out to him that you bought it for a male friend but didnt want it so you thought of him.

if its bothering you then you should really tell him as it will hurt him if he finds out youve been chatting about his little problem to other people- and you could loose a friend

Answer 10

If it is a co-worker that I have a personal relationship with I kindly tell them that they may not have noticed but they aren't smelling very well. If I don't have a close, personal relationship with the person I give them a anonymous basket of body wash, sprays, and powders.

Answer 11

I would talk to supervisor, or write an anonoumous note to supervisor and send copies to other above him or her.
Do not say to the stink body or he/she could attempt to charge you with harrassment.
If supervisors do not do something about it, seek help outside your organization. Seriously, they are endangering your health from the sound of it.
--That Cheeky (now feeling quite ill) Lad