Office tips: How to tell coworkers they smell bad
By Helen Richardson
People can smell bad for different reasons. I think the easiest type of bad odor to deal with is when someone wears too much cologne or perfume. If you have a good relationship with the person, you can take them aside in private at some point and explain that you are very sensitive to odors or that you have an allergy problem. Tell them that you like their taste in perfume (even if you don’t) but that it is too strong and that you have a hard time concentrating because of it.
If you don’t have a good relationship with the person and their perfume is overwhelming, it might be a better idea to talk to someone in Human Resources or someone who is closer to the person and see if they will help you by talking to the person about it.
If the person smells bad because they have cigarette smoke on their clothing, you might leave a small sample of a product that removes the smell of smoke on or in their desk. There are products like Febreeze or Ozone that do a great job of getting rid of the smell of smoke on fabric.
If the problem is body odor, that is a much more delicate issue. For one thing, different cultures have different ideas about what people should smell like. In some cultures, people don’t bathe as often and they don’t use deodorant. If the person is from a different country or culture as you, you are treading on thin ice by saying something to them about their body odor. I personally would avoid addressing the person directly and would leave it up to a supervisor or the Human Resources staff to decide what the best course of action to take is.
If the person is from your country and your culture and just doesn’t seem to wear deodorant or bathe enough, it is still a difficult situation. Someone might not know that other people can smell their odor. And it is a fact that some people genetically have a tendency to generate an odor when they sweat that regular deodorants can’t cover up or prevent.
If you don’t know the person very well, a small sample of a good deodorant left inside their desk is a good way to send the message. Maybe to soften the blow, leave the a couple of pieces of candy or a small gift so the person knows that you have good intentions and you’re not trying to hurt them. You could even include an anonymous note saying that you care about them and that they will do better in their career and with customers if they use this kind of deodorant.
Its a very difficult, touchy thing to have to do, but if you work in an environment where everyone is close together and there isn’t a lot of fresh air flowing through, someone’s bad odor can ruin your whole day.
source: helium.com
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In: On The Job Advice · Tagged with: Allergy Problem, Body Odor, Cigarette Smoke, Cologne, coworkers, Delicate Issue, Deodorant, Deodorants, Different Cultures, Different Reasons, Fact That Some People, Febreeze, Good Relationship, Hard Time, Helen Richardson, Human Resources Staff, Ozone, Perfume, Tendency, Treading On Thin Ice
