Issue with Work Colleague - Tact needed

[Sparkster]

I sit opposite a work colleague - our desks face each other with a computer screen high partition separating our desks. Over the past week and a half, she has had the worst body odour. She smells from first thing in the morning so it''s not an issue with warm weather as the mornings are still quite chilly (even though the afternoons are warm). She has been here for 3 months and it is only over the past week and a half that she has had this odour and it is REALLY bad. I am not exagerating as the lady who sits next to me can smell it from her desk (I sit between the two ladies).

I called our human resources department last Friday to see what could be done but my call was diverted to their voicemail. In a way I was glad because I don''t like to cause trouble at work but it''s something that I should not have to put up with. Other people have noticed it too when they walk past our desks or when they are in the print room with her collecting printing.

How do I deal with this situation tactfully? I don''t want to embarrass her - so how do I resolve this?

 

[Skippy123]

Can you put an airfreshner on your desk?

I too would let HR deal w/it. Sorry

 

[Sparkalicious]

Sorry Sparkster, that''s such a challenging situation to deal with. A previous manager at my office had terrible body odor and everyone talked about it and no one told her. ... apart from one person years ago whose life became a misery after that and they had to find another job.

Since this woman was on the leadership team in our company and an all around bat of an unpleasant person, I didn''t want to tell her myself, however, I also thought it was horrible that no one would tell her instead they would just laugh behind her back. I would prefer if someone would tell me so that I could do something about it. I felt it better that one of her peers break the news to her so I chose to let HR know so that they could figure out how best to deal with and resolve the issue. This way she learns about her odor and there are or should not be any hard feelings against anyone who may at one time or another be subordinate to her.

Unless you feel comfortable having a tactful yet honest conversation with her yourself, I, personally don''t feel that it is a bad idea to have HR deal with it.

Good luck!

 

[DMBsGirl]

i''d start spraying lysol and seeing if she takes the hint. if not, speak to your supervisor/manager and let them deal with the uncomfortable conversation

 

[Sparkster]

Date: 12/16/2007 4:58:42 PM
Author: Sparkalicious
Sorry Sparkster, that''s such a challenging situation to deal with. A previous manager at my office had terrible body odor and everyone talked about it and no one told her. ... apart from one person years ago whose life became a misery after that and they had to find another job.

Since this woman was on the leadership team in our company and an all around bat of an unpleasant person, I didn''t want to tell her myself, however, I also thought it was horrible that no one would tell her instead they would just laugh behind her back. I would prefer if someone would tell me so that I could do something about it. I felt it better that one of her peers break the news to her so I chose to let HR know so that they could figure out how best to deal with and resolve the issue. This way she learns about her odor and there are or should not be any hard feelings against anyone who may at one time or another be subordinate to her.

Unless you feel comfortable having a tactful yet honest conversation with her yourself, I, personally don''t feel that it is a bad idea to have HR deal with it.

Good luck!

I think it is best for HR to deal with it. She already lacks confidence and is having difficulty with her job. She is a lawyer but is, quite frankly, one of the worst lawyers I have ever worked for (I''m her secretary). She is a fourth year lawyer and the quality of her work is that of a first year lawyer. Her probation period is due to end in a couple of days but it has been extended. For someone who already lacks confidence in her work, this extra issue might destroy any ounce of confidence she might have left.

 

[Rhea]

I agree with letting HR deal with it.

I''d want to know myself. My biggest paranoia is BO. I have a lot of trouble finding a deodorant that works for me and I''d absolutely die if I realised that I smelled and no one had told me. Hopefully whoever is in HR will have experience with this.

 

[Mara]

that sucks sparkster. agree with those who say let HR deal with it (did you leave a message?)...how embarassed would someone be to be told they smelled, yikes. but yeah you also shouldn''t have to work in an environment like that, some companies tell people not to wear strong perfumes or the like in corporate environments because of this very issue, i would imagine that HR would need to deal with something like this similarly. keep us posted.

 

[decodelighted]

A sudden onset of B.O. like that could point to health problems. I'd address the situation with H.R. SOONER rather than later & consider yourself a good samaritan. Or maybe she started a dietary supplement or medication that affected her body chemistry .. *shrug*

 

[risingsun]

You could go to your manager or director to discuss this situation. If your company has an EAP, they could be called in to discuss it with her. The manager could contact the EAP and discuss the situation.

 

[rainydaze]

it sounds like letting HR deal with it is the best way to go. i agree with decodelighted, she may have started a supplement or something that causes the odor and as a result be unaware. in that case, it''s a simple fix and it shouldn''t harm her confidence to learn of the issue. hopefully it isn''t something more serious such as a health condition.

your situation reminded me of a more humorous one i found myself in during high school. i rode the bus with one of my closest friends and one day during the middle of the year, i began to notice she had a strong body odor. i figured she must have switched deodorants and her new one wasn''t working, but she wasn''t aware of this. i would spend the whole of the ride holding my breath and breathing through my mouth and i had a very hard time turning toward her to talk to her. i didn''t know what to do, i wasn''t comfortable saying something to her because i didn''t know how to do it without making her feel bad, yet i felt bad that i was letting her go around school with this awful odor. the funny part? one day near the end of the school year i was at her house and she excitedly opened a bottle of a body oil for me to sniff. well wasn''t i was shocked to discover she had a bottle of her very own body odor! ''it''s patchouli oil! don''t you just LOVE it! i''ve been wearing it every day since my birthday!'' well, i wasn''t familiar with patchouli at that point, but i quickly put two-and-two together and boy was i glad i had kept my mouth shut. i''ve since learned some people love the scent as she did, and others find it offensive, as i did!

 

[Deelight]

Date: 12/16/2007 7:31:19 PM
Author: decodelighted
A sudden onset of B.O. like that could point to health problems. I''d address the situation with H.R. SOONER rather than later & consider yourself a good samaritan. Or maybe she started a dietary supplement or medication that affected her body chemistry .. *shrug*

A guy at my old work had the same problem turned out the poor bugger had to take this medication that increased stink

. The issue was handed over to upper management, so in turn he just sprayed more deodorant on.

Maybe you can give her a little bottle of perfume for a Christmas present she might get the hint

GL this is a touch one


Also IMO patchouli oil smells like old people

I am also a hater

 

[angel_nieves]

I agree with the comments on the "smell" being related to heath problems. My mil had cancer and oh my when I would drive her to the doctors in Miami I would have to roll the windows down in the car. Also I have diabetes and when my sugar gets too high I have had people comment that I get a odd sickly sweet smell too me.

 

[Sparkster]

Date: 12/17/2007 8:45:36 AM
Author: Deelight

Date: 12/16/2007 7:31:19 PM
Author: decodelighted
A sudden onset of B.O. like that could point to health problems. I''d address the situation with H.R. SOONER rather than later & consider yourself a good samaritan. Or maybe she started a dietary supplement or medication that affected her body chemistry .. *shrug*

A guy at my old work had the same problem turned out the poor bugger had to take this medication that increased stink

. The issue was handed over to upper management, so in turn he just sprayed more deodorant on.

Maybe you can give her a little bottle of perfume for a Christmas present she might get the hint

GL this is a touch one


Also IMO patchouli oil smells like old people

I am also a hater

I didn''t realise that it could be the side effects of medication or health supplements. I hope to goodness it''s not due to illness because I would feel like a right royal cow about complaining about it!

 

[Deelight]

Date: 12/17/2007 3:55:29 PM
Author: Sparkster

Date: 12/17/2007 8:45:36 AM

Author: Deelight

Date: 12/16/2007 7:31:19 PM

Author: decodelighted

A sudden onset of B.O. like that could point to health problems. I''d address the situation with H.R. SOONER rather than later & consider yourself a good samaritan. Or maybe she started a dietary supplement or medication that affected her body chemistry .. *shrug*

A guy at my old work had the same problem turned out the poor bugger had to take this medication that increased stink

. The issue was handed over to upper management, so in turn he just sprayed more deodorant on.


Maybe you can give her a little bottle of perfume for a Christmas present she might get the hint


GL this is a touch one



Also IMO patchouli oil smells like old people

I am also a hater

I didn''t realise that it could be the side effects of medication or health supplements. I hope to goodness it''s not due to illness because I would feel like a right royal cow about complaining about it!

Yeah we all felt horrible afterwards (a customer actually put in a formal complaint) but once we knew that is what caused the problem we were all really nice about it. This guy was really bad I would be like almost dry retching standing next to him.

I hope it all sorts itself out for you