How to tell a co-worker they have bad BO?

itscc2u · #1 (**permalink**) 01-31-2009, 09:28 PM

We have a co-worker who is Ethiopian I only mention the ethnic background because you need to understand what I mean by "BO" this guy reeks horribly of Ethiopian spices they use a lot of curry and cumin etc. They are very strong and getting offensive and to the point I have started wretching if I am within 2 desks of him and we are in a fairly good size office.

He was with a client who you could tell was having issues with the odor, the client kept standing up walking away out the door for fresh air and when co-worker woudl ask questions the client would be about 5 feet from him which does get the privacy issue going. I could tell the man was uncomfortable.

Thats not the worst of it we have a coat room for employees and his coat stinks everybody elses up and we have put the Febreze Outlet Fresheners in there to no avail our coats, purses etc stink to high heaven.

Our Office Leader has spoken to him about this, but he is I guess Immune to his own odor. He is a good worker on time answers the phone professionally, listens when you explain something to him he doesn't understand even asks questions when he doesn't understand something also. Its getting to the point no-one wants to wokr with him and there are so few who can work during the daytime hours or the split shift he works.

Would it be wrong to put air fresheners all over the office to cover the odor, spray Febreze around after he leaves or give him a gift basket anonymously of some nice manly soaps so maybe he gets the hint. Its upsetting everyone and if they fire him because of this I can see the "D" word discrimination and I can see me working more hours since I am the only Part-timer on the Day Staff and can cover his hours.

I am tired of smelling like curry and having to wash my coat every night because Febreze doesn't really get the smell out.

Please help !

marilynk · #2 (**permalink**) 01-31-2009, 09:43 PM

If the smell is truly making you or others ill, then you can file a work comp claim for a work related illness. I'm just saying.....

jujubee2 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-31-2009, 09:46 PM

If you cook with certain spices it is inevitable that it permeates your clothing - even clothing that is clean and in the closet. Maybe to him, you stink of garlic, or whatever spices you like best.

If he's your coworker, you have no business telling him what to do. That's your boss' job if s/he thinks it is affecting the office.

valorian · #4 (**permalink**) 01-31-2009, 09:54 PM

unless he changes his whole diet he's going to smell of the foods he eats. Like jujubee said you may of a certain food you eat and not know it. I like garlic and horseradish but i dont eat alot of it cause of that.

Reneelaufer · #5 (**permalink**) 01-31-2009, 10:05 PM

If you don't feel comfortable talking to him, take it to HR. They will talk to him. It isn't a discrimination issue, it is a workplace quality issue. I used to be an HR manager at a company that brought tons of people directly from India for US positions. The day they arrived we had a meeting and talked to them about hygiene. We gave them soap and deodorant with explicit instructions that it had to be used every day. It just isn't standard in some cultures, but it doesn't make asking them to do it discriminatory.

Anyway, let HR handle the unpleasant task, it's one of the many things they are there for.

Renee

jujubee2 · #6 (**permalink**) 02-01-2009, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reneelaufer

We gave them soap and deodorant with explicit instructions that it had to be used every day.

Wow. Are you kidding me?! What type of business? If I went to work in another country and they did something like this, I'd be on the next plane home. I agree that HR discussing cultural differences with folks is appropriate, but the approach you describe isn't diplomatic at all. It's rude and bizarre!

twalters1 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-01-2009, 08:41 AM

Our office has 10 employees with one of them being a smoker. When we all go in the comference room for a staff meeting, one employee reeks of cigarette smoke. She doesn't even realize that the smell from her cigarettes that were smoked outside still lingers on her hair and clothes.

Most of us in the office have learned the hard way about mentioning anything about cigarettes to her. She gets extremely defensive and thinks that no way anyone could detect a smell when someone smokes outside in the breeze.

The fact is.....a nonsmoker can smell a smoker a mile away because it just clings to about every type of fabric or even plastic. When our coworker brings something to work in a plastic grocery bag, it smells like it has been sitting in a bar for a couple of days.

I know of no way around this offensive smell other than for everyone to quit and leave her as the sole employee. The company/manager can only insist that there be no smoking on company property and surely she can abide by this but no way can companies control what happens when we are at home or on our lunch hour.

jujubee2 · #8 (**permalink**) 02-01-2009, 09:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twalters1

The company/manager can only insist that there be no smoking on company property and surely she can abide by this but no way can companies control what happens when we are at home or on our lunch hour.

You'd think so, but take a look at this, which states that companies in most states can base hiring decisions on whether you smoke:
» Can an Employer choose to hire only non-smokers? Human Resource Blog

itscc2u · #9 (**permalink**) 02-01-2009, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jujubee2

If you cook with certain spices it is inevitable that it permeates your clothing - even clothing that is clean and in the closet. Maybe to him, you stink of garlic, or whatever spices you like best.

If he's your coworker, you have no business telling him what to do. That's your boss' job if s/he thinks it is affecting the office.

Our boss has talked to him but he seems oblivious to it honestly he does.

If only I could cook with spices they make my stomache and DS's so upset we eat some bland food around these parts anymore, but I understand what you mean.

I think I will do as another poster suggested and ask her to take it up to her boss who was my boss last year and head of hiring.

itscc2u · #10 (**permalink**) 02-01-2009, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twalters1

Our office has 10 employees with one of them being a smoker. When we all go in the comference room for a staff meeting, one employee reeks of cigarette smoke. She doesn't even realize that the smell from her cigarettes that were smoked outside still lingers on her hair and clothes.

Most of us in the office have learned the hard way about mentioning anything about cigarettes to her. She gets extremely defensive and thinks that no way anyone could detect a smell when someone smokes outside in the breeze.

The fact is.....a nonsmoker can smell a smoker a mile away because it just clings to about every type of fabric or even plastic. When our coworker brings something to work in a plastic grocery bag, it smells like it has been sitting in a bar for a couple of days.

I know of no way around this offensive smell other than for everyone to quit and leave her as the sole employee. The company/manager can only insist that there be no smoking on company property and surely she can abide by this but no way can companies control what happens when we are at home or on our lunch hour.

There are two girls who smoke and they can only do it outside the backdoor and just as they come in they spray themselves with that Febreze Air Effects so they do not smell like cigarettes seems to do a pretty good job. I am going to have DH start doing that when he comes in from his 2 smokes per day now.

ohhgodd · #11 (**permalink**) 02-02-2009, 03:54 PM

I quit smoking for three months about 7 years ago (lol). It was amazing how I noticed the cigarette smell on my items, I had never realized smelled before!

My briefcase and all the papers inside was one thing I noticed first that threw me for a loop, because I very rarely smoked while holding it, but I did smoke in the car while it was resting on the back seat!

It made me sick, and I wondered if I would ever get the smell out. So now, I am very conscious that when someone says they can smell cig smoke on me or my items, I believe them.

We got rid of our house guest because while we were in California, she decided to smoke in the house for the entire two weeks, thinking we wouldn't notice.

Upon arriving home, I opened up the front door and immediately got sick. I was so mad. She even smoked upstairs where the bedrooms are. I could tell you every room where she smoked and I still have not opened up her bedroom, because it smelled so bad I had to shut the room off to the rest of the house. My son and I both woke up with headaches the first week and I even got really sick Second hand smoke does horrible things.
My biggest rule in my home is NO SMOKING INSIDE!!

ILUVLUCY420 · #12 (**permalink**) 02-02-2009, 04:00 PM

kathy I am with you 100 percent no smoking inside my home my car at all never ever. I literally hate hate smoking, and sadly my mom smokes soooooooo much and when I leave her house I stink and then my car stinks and even my bra everything comes off. But its her home and its her choice to smoke so I must deal with it because she is my mom. Peace. CAtherine

susiecat · #13 (**permalink**) 02-02-2009, 04:08 PM

I also had some guests who thought it was ok to smoke in my house. I've never smoked, my mom used to.. I hate that smell. I solved the problem by not letting them come back! Funn how smokers seem to think they can smoke anywhere they choose.

on topic... I read a while back that charcoal pills help get rid of body odor. Is the man even bathing?? I eat spices.. garlic, onion, curry.. but I bathe and have been told I smell good. Maybe he nneds to be taught how to bathe properly. Is he a hairy person? I have a male friend who umm.. shaves his private area and underarm area to cut down on body smells.

Gosh.. I dunno what I would say to the man.. I wouldn't want to offend him.. but a real friend would let him know.. so he doesn't get embarrassed if someone does say something rude.

itscc2u · #14 (**permalink**) 02-02-2009, 04:36 PM

Its funny how I brought this up and on the Front page of the Washington Post Job's Section they discussed this matter somewhat about a smoker and they recommended the same things we have tried or to get a room ionizer. Guess what we have in the back room from a store we closed this year? and he will never know its for him because we still get some residual smoke and musty smell from the fire a few months back when the laundromat blew up 3 doors down so it will solve both problems at the same time we hope.

Susiecat I never heard of charcoal pills doing that interesting.

The only smoking smell I love is the smell from pipe tobacco, reminds me of my Daddy growing up always such a nice sweet comforting smell, I buy some once in awhile and put it in one of his pipes and light it up to make my house smell like him.

I think the issue maybe solved now crossing my fingers and I do have to work alone with him Wednesday night for about 2 hours so I may just talk to him in a non confronting friendly way like Susiecat said, I did train him on some things in one of the classes and noticed it then so maybe thats why everyone looked at me to help because we have a repoire so to speak.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode