Speak to their manager privately, or go to HR, whichever is the correct initial route in your work environment. Definitely do not leave a not or approach them yourself.
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How should I confront someone about their body odor at work?
- Thread starter Regulus Tera
- Start date
The note thing should only be taken seriously if OP is actually still in elementary school and the office situation is an elaborate Muppet Babies style fantasy.
Are you this person's supervisor. If so, bring it up in writing (email is fine).
Not? Then speak to your supervisor privately, do not address directly with this person. This is management/HR's duty to deal with this sort of thing
Not? Then speak to your supervisor privately, do not address directly with this person. This is management/HR's duty to deal with this sort of thing
Then they are bad at their job and should he reported to HR themselves.
For some reason I read this in a dramatic "Confederate Soldier writing his wife" voiceover
As others have said do not confront this person yourself. This could easily be a health related condition (yes, this exists) and if that's the case needs to be handled by professionals.
This is also a possibility, and not something you want to wade into uninformed, telling the dude he's funky and needs to shower.
Talk to HR and/or your supervisor in that order.
This is also a possibility, and not something you want to wade into uninformed, telling the dude he's funky and needs to shower.
Talk to HR and/or your supervisor in that order.
EXACTLY. The excuse is always that people never tell them, ignoring the fact that it's hard for people to confront them about it. I've seen it happen many times.
had to do this in the same environment, but I just went to supervisor. my supervisor was obviously aware and actually had multiple reports. They talked to him and he started showering more and wearing deodorant. I felt bad, but seriously it was like "I haven't showered in 2 weeks" bad.
That doesn't seem that unusual. A minimum shower of once a week is fine for most people.
/s
Being all official like and going to HR, they might think you're a trouble maker and get rid of you. HR is not your friend.
I would casually mention it your boss and see if he could have a talk with him. 9
Leave a anonymous note, some people might not know that they smell.
Don't escalate it to a supervisor level at first, give them a chance to fix it first
Best way to handle it:
Tell them nicely and off hand you need to tell them something. Say you overheard someone talking about their BO. Say that you think he is a great guy and really cool and that you don't personally care or notice, but you don't want someone ratting him out to hr for it. Then it's not on you, it's put on some anon person, and hr doesn't get involved.
Tell them nicely and off hand you need to tell them something. Say you overheard someone talking about their BO. Say that you think he is a great guy and really cool and that you don't personally care or notice, but you don't want someone ratting him out to hr for it. Then it's not on you, it's put on some anon person, and hr doesn't get involved.
Lol don't leave a note, that's a pretty bad idea I'm not sure if those suggesting it are being serious.
If you consider him to be a friend and you hang out after work, I'd suggest you mention it to in a friendly manner outside work. If that's not the case, first talk to other co-workers, if it's that bad surely others have noticed, then talk to your supervisor and make it clear that you're not coming from a bad place and you want this to be anonymous of course. Going to HR directly I think might complicate things and create animosity. It's better to deal with this at a lower level.
If you consider him to be a friend and you hang out after work, I'd suggest you mention it to in a friendly manner outside work. If that's not the case, first talk to other co-workers, if it's that bad surely others have noticed, then talk to your supervisor and make it clear that you're not coming from a bad place and you want this to be anonymous of course. Going to HR directly I think might complicate things and create animosity. It's better to deal with this at a lower level.
What the fuck kind of office and company is this? They're willing to go to these lengths instead of just having a serious talk with the group and stressing hygiene requirements.
Try not to be Larry David. This is a perfect scenario for a Curb episode though.
As others have said leave a polite note or ask a manager to have a talk with the the person.
As others have said leave a polite note or ask a manager to have a talk with the the person.
Lol this. And end it with "YoU hAVe eXacTLy OnE WeEK tO cHAnGE...."
I would honestly just tell them.
"Dude, I like you and you're cool, but you need to start wearing deodorant."
I ain't about that passive-aggressive "dance around the topic" shit. If I stank I'd expect someone to tell me.
"Dude, I like you and you're cool, but you need to start wearing deodorant."
I ain't about that passive-aggressive "dance around the topic" shit. If I stank I'd expect someone to tell me.
I took him to mean, "Leave a note, wait a week, and see if he cleans up his act by then. If not, push him out a window."
Ask him if he's a a local smash player. Or start playing wash your ass if you must on loop. Those avenues leave plausible deniability if you're targetting.
Or tell the boss man hat this person is bringing home da funk. Have three people back you on this. You don't want to do this one alone though.
Or tell the boss man hat this person is bringing home da funk. Have three people back you on this. You don't want to do this one alone though.
Well, you should definitely go to HR, but it's not like they will surely know how to handle the situation or get it fixed either. It's very complicated.
I work at HR, specifically taking care of the interns, and we got several complaints about a girl who simply made it possible to be around her. Another intern who used to sit nearby asked to change desks, everyone in the department was bothered, and even two different people of the cleaning staff came to us saying she would leave the whole bathroom smelling.
I usually talk to the interns myself, but this time I asked my boss to talk to her, since she's a woman and it would be less embarrassing for her to talk about personal hygiene, but in the end it didn't get better. We transfered her to another floor, where she sat in a desk that was a little separated from the rest, and her contract expired soon after, it was a relief. I was honestly afraid she would file complaints about harassing.
I work at HR, specifically taking care of the interns, and we got several complaints about a girl who simply made it possible to be around her. Another intern who used to sit nearby asked to change desks, everyone in the department was bothered, and even two different people of the cleaning staff came to us saying she would leave the whole bathroom smelling.
I usually talk to the interns myself, but this time I asked my boss to talk to her, since she's a woman and it would be less embarrassing for her to talk about personal hygiene, but in the end it didn't get better. We transfered her to another floor, where she sat in a desk that was a little separated from the rest, and her contract expired soon after, it was a relief. I was honestly afraid she would file complaints about harassing.
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Going to HR is the only option here. This is work life not personal life, it's their job to handle these kinds of things sensitively and appropriately.
It's people who do not want you going to HR to stop them from engaging in nonsense that spread information like this. It's there for a reason.
Again, there are reasons why you do not do this. I went to college with a guy who had a "condition." I never got the exact details of what it was, but for medical reasons he would smell vaguely of rotting meat, constantly. In winter it wasn't as bad, but hot summers? unbearable.
He would still smell this way fresh out of the shower. Went through tons of deodorant. Went through gallons of Febreze. Anytime he applied for a part time job he would have to request an accomodation and basically said the condition was a disability. Some employers were understanding and worked around it, but most made excuses not to hire him.
Now, if you honestly "just rolled up to this guy" and "told him he's cool but needs to start wearing deodorant" congratulations, you just harassed a guy with a medical disability and earned yourself a quick trip to a disciplinary meeting about it.
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I had to do this as a shift lead working at Jamba Juice. The dude was about 50. I was 18. 20+ years later it is still the most awkward and embarrassing conversation I have ever had in my life lol
The manager talked me into doing it because she could not handle it. I think I was making 6.70 an hour, I should have just walked away from the job
The manager talked me into doing it because she could not handle it. I think I was making 6.70 an hour, I should have just walked away from the job
I honestly dont really understand the issue, I`m guessing office politics are different than in the trades. But when someone at work stinks, You tell them "They fucking stink, go shower or go the fuck home."
I have dealt with many stinky people, hell I work at a waste water plant. You just tell people to their face you stink go deal with it or leave.
I have dealt with many stinky people, hell I work at a waste water plant. You just tell people to their face you stink go deal with it or leave.
That will work right up to the point you run into a guy that has medical or cultural reasons for smelling the way he does, and then you're hit with a discrimination complaint. These can be both expensive and time consuming.
This seems like it would escalate things and make a record of it, whereas a note would be confidential to everyone but the person himself. It would suck to receive it but I think any normal person would want to know if they're perceived as having body order to correct it.
Imagine what happens if that person feels singled out by that anonymous note you wrote and goes to HR with it.
Has that ever happened? Is there a single case where someone has been disciplined for telling someone else they smell bad? I feel that people saying that they are worried about HR just dont want to confront the person. That`s fine, but dont hide behind it.
Also how would it be discrimination to tell someone that they stink? Lets say they have a medical condition that makes them spin around and shit everywhere. Its discrimination to tell them to get the hell out of the lunch room?
Ive worked with welders and truck drivers that are truly disgusting creatures. When they smell really bad and wont change they are banned to their vehicles or kicked off site.
Fight fire with fire. Stop bathing. Change your outer clothes, but not your socks, underwear, or any undershirts. Maybe stop wiping. Or at least not as well. Eat a lot of curry. Force them to be the one to raise an issue.
lol no, I think definitely HR. If you're in a company that has a legit HR, going directly to the person is dicey if you're not friends. You don't have to present it as a problem or a complaint, just that you're trying to help the person out because they don't seem to be aware of it. If they're a responsible adult they'll respond appropriately.
Hi! i'm a senior HR manager with about ten years in the industry, along with a fistful of degrees and certifications.
Yes, this has happened. Yes, I've dealt with discrimination complaints. No, they aren't fun at all, are very expensive, and when there is merit to the complaint you WILL need a lawyer that knows what he's doing.
9 times out of 10 its just a guy that needs a shower, but that 1 time out of ten that it's not, and there are grounds for a discrimination complaint you are looking at a shit ton of money out of pocket to deal with that, even if you win the case.
Explaining the ins and outs of what qualifies as an accomodation and when the employer is required to do it is a fairly long topic I don't have the energy for. Just trust me when I say for things like "body odor" send the guy to HR or Management to deal with the correct way. Telling him to "Go the fuck home and shower" will eventually blow up in your face.
Well when they go to HR and that persons eyes start bleeding from the smell, maybe they will do something.
Even if the smell is medical or cultural or what ever doesn't mean that everybody else has to suffer for it. If that means the company has a duty to accommodate by placing the offenders desk outside on the roof so be it.
This is a textbook definition of why HR exists. Some of us know the legal limits of what the employer has to do and how to accommodate it. Managing a business the way you suggest is a good way to end up in a lot of pain. This is the last time I'm addressing the issue.