27 September 2023

Breath of fresh air: What to do when your workplace stinks

Start the conversation

Johnny C. Taylor jr* says addressing a co-worker’s objectionable body odour requires a sensitive approach.


Photo: tap10

Question: “My co-worker is a great guy. Problem is, he smells strongly of body odour. We work in a small office where our CFO also handles HR. Despite several employees bringing up complaints about our co-worker, our CFO claims he can’t smell it. How can I help solve the problem? I don’t want to hurt my co-worker’s feelings?

Dealing with offensive odours at work is never easy, although the problem is more common than you might realise.

If you have friends who work in human resources or manage people, I’m sure they could tell you a story or two.

You’re right to want to help.

Unpleasant odours not only distract employees from getting work done, they can also affect the bottom line by hurting relationships with partners, vendors, and clients.

That’s precisely why employers have policies on attire and grooming that often mention strong perfumes and body odour.

Rather than speaking with your co-worker directly, I recommend reviewing your employer’s written policies and then scheduling a sit-down meeting with your CFO.

In that meeting, don’t focus on his poor sense of smell.

Instead, remind him of the number of complaints, and highlight the tangible impacts on employee experience and organisational performance.

If there’s a policy, cite it.

If not, suggest creating one.

Put in those terms, your CFO should finally wake up and smell the coffee.

He will likely speak with your co-worker privately about observing the hygiene policy.

However, if the odour is due to a cultural norm or medical condition, your CFO may need to determine if a reasonable accommodation is required.

On the other hand, if the CFO declines to act following your meeting, you will need to elevate employee complaints to your CEO.

If it reaches that point, be sure to approach the CEO tactfully.

Don’t complain or bash the CFO.

Again, simply share the facts and illustrate this odour’s impact on your organisation.

I hope that clears the air!

* Johnny C. Taylor jr is a human resources expert, and President and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management.

This article first appeared at www.usatoday.com.

Start the conversation

Be among the first to get all the Public Sector and Defence news and views that matter.

Subscribe now and receive the latest news, delivered free to your inbox.

By submitting your email address you are agreeing to Region Group's terms and conditions and privacy policy.