Telling Someone They Have Bad B.O.
Discussion
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...
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...
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.
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 b
ard. 
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 b
ard. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
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.
JimmyConwayNW said:
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.
Why do you have to be so brutal with the approach? You can’t just ask someone to leave their employment as you’ve suggested. There are some very basic employment laws that have to adhered to. The suggestion given above yours was good. It covers the need to address it, support for the individual if needed and the welfare of all other employees, all of that protects the employer. 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.
An employee doesn’t “claim gross misconduct”, that what the employer dismisses for. The employee claims unfair dismissal, which this definitely would be if it’s simply out of the blue without any documented attempts to records and support, assuming the employee has been there for a few years.
The suggestion about the manager / employer having a discussion about the issue is exactly right. Simply sit them down and reference feedback that has been received from customers around personal hygiene. That the company wants to support them in resolving this, but the current situation cannot continue. Accept the hot weather will be exacerbating things, but it still needs rectifying. Then see what the guy has to say and deal accordingly. No point coming up,with solutions until they understand the problem.
JimmyConwayNW said:
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.
It's called management.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.
If the subject has never been brought up then you sit them down and explain that improvements need to be made and that you'd like to understand if there are issues that need addressing. Approaching it in that way allows you to setup a solution, you ask the question about issues so it can be removed or tackled as an excuse, you're closing the doors around the issue. (it's not about being nice)
They either improve or the next conversation is really easy...no need for shouting, insults and red faces.
HTH.
Glassman said:
Had a chat with the manager and he said it's a discussion he is having with his bosses. They are trying to work out the best way to handle it and I think HR are advising.
Seems they're tip-toeing around the issue hoping it sorts itself out.
Sounds like they’re all ducking the discussion to me. Probably hoping it goes away when the weather cools down. It does need addressing really as it’s poor management to defer the issue in the hope it resolves itself. Seems they're tip-toeing around the issue hoping it sorts itself out.
It could be something as simple as he only showers once or twice a week and normally that’s enough, but the red hot weather is highlighting how he needs to do it more frequently. That’s a complete guess but I bet it’s what the company is hoping.
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