Telling Someone They Have Bad B.O.

[Glassman]

There's a supplier I visit a couple of times a week. One of the staff there has horrendous body odour and I now dread going there in case I have to deal with him. I spoke to his manager and he acknowledges it's unbearable. The trouble is, nobody knows how to approach the subject with him. It's like a rotting Cornish pasty wafting from under his arms.

I remember similar topic of discussion about someone with bad breath and a suggestion was to say, 'shall we all go and brush our teeth?'

Jokes aside, I cannot begin to imagine what it would be like to work with him and I'm glad my visits are usually les than 10 minutes.

I'll forward the best suggestions to his manager...

[Mar5hall]

The “shall we all go brush our teeth” line is a classic. In a similar vein, you could send over a small business gift basket, dressed up as a thank you for the team, with a nice deodorant/body wash set tucked in among other bits like biscuits or coffee. Frames it as generosity rather than a pointed message, and nobody can trace it back to one complaint.

[dukeboy749r]

Just go in with a respirator on and ask to speak to this particular person.

Someone with poor personal hygiene in the army was a) warned b) threatened then c) ‘abducted’ and thrown into a cold bath of water and covered in Vim powder before being brushed with bass brooms.

I could never understand how anyone who allow themselves to treat their personal hygiene so badly, anyway.




I’m am not condoning such behaviour but this was the 1980s (and before, judging by comments at the time). But since looking after yourself (including feet) was inline with how you were expected to treat your personal weapon.

Sacrosanct.

[Bluevanman]

I used to work with a stinker,we all told him he was a dirty smelly git but he just wasn't bothered

[Master Of Puppets]

I've heard of people who have almost no sense of smell and can't tell that they are absolutely rank, he might have this affliction,
so the next time you go there chew a garlic clove just before you go in, and then breathe it into his face, if he retracts his head forcefully backwards
in disgust you can then say "Now you know what it's like you stinking bard.

[Rich1973]

Its the classic 'difficult conversation'. His manager needs to grow a pair and call him into a private meeting and be supportive by asking him if there are any issues in his personal life which means he cant look after himself properly or if he has health issues which might be leading to body odour. Be supportive but also make it clear the situation needs to improve and give a timescale (immediate) if no good reason.

[Landlubber]

Oi! Stinky! Might work.

[WH16]

Nothing difficult about it. Simply walk in and loudly proclaim "mate you are f*ing honking".

Rip the band aid off. Short term discomfort, long term benefit.

Unless of course they are a sensitive type and likely to take offence and run to HR, in which case leave well alone. Just buy a surplus S10 and conspicuously put it on when dealing with them.

[valiant]

Just remember before you go in all guns blazing that there are certain medical conditions that can cause excessive bodily smells.

I’m sure the guy knows he smells so either can’t control it or simply doesn’t care but it has to be handled correctly

[Hugo Stiglitz]

Lush block deodorant is amazing for dry itchy deodorant armpits.

[ARH]

Many years ago one of a team I acquired, for a brief spell, had serious BO that no one had the courage to confront. I just sat him down and told him straight. He had no idea and came in the next day smelling of Brut. Not sure what was worse. But hey no more BO.

[vixen1700]

Probably mentioned it on here before, but worked with a real stinky woman back in the '80s, proper underarm stench from her polyester blouses.

So bad we (18 year olds) had to tell the general manager to have a word with her as it was making us literally gag. It did work after a while.

The same woman had an irrational fear of balloons too, which we didn't know about until decorating the office at Christmas and she started screaming uncontollably.

[Alex_225]

If it's a supplier and you spoke to his manager, you can find out his name and then send an anonymous note FAO that person.

You could always word it in a respectful way. There was a lad I went to school with who was a bit whiffy at times but he was severely allergic to antiperspirants and was really sensitive to washing products so had to be mindful. May not be the guys fault, he may have some difficulties, he may just be a smelly b*stard!

[JimmyConwayNW]

Rich1973 said:

Its the classic 'difficult conversation'. His manager needs to grow a pair and call him into a private meeting and be supportive by asking him if there are any issues in his personal life which means he cant look after himself properly or if he has health issues which might be leading to body odour. Be supportive but also make it clear the situation needs to improve and give a timescale (immediate) if no good reason.

I see the angle but I hugely don’t agree with this.

At what point did employers have to become all nicely nice and ask are you ok it’s just sometimes maybe you kind of might smell.

It’s not acceptable and employer shouldn’t be asking nicely it should just be wash and clean yourself like everyone else or please leave without claiming gross misconduct.

The fact this needs to be done nicely is a bit ridiculous.