Odour problem?? Colleagues and work.. ?

Question

One of my friends is doing an apprenticeship in an office and she was told the other day that she has an odour problem by two of her colleagues she left work in tears and i picked her up she didnt stop crying for an hour and spent an hour and a half in the shower. Is this fair? Are they allowed to be that direct? Isnt there a process that shouldve been followed or what? She is still upset and has not returned to work since.

Answer 1

Yes, they are allowed to be that direct, providing she was in an office or other out of the way area, where they just didn't say it in front of everyone.  Other people should not have to smell her, to be blunt, and it actually creates a "hostile work environment".  If she does smell, others complain and they do nothing, they can be in trouble for doing nothing and making the masses suffer for one employee.  She needs to bathe, put on some deoderant and return to work.

Answer 2

Yes, they are supposed to tell you - but there is a process that should be followed.

1] are you talking body or breath?

2] body -

a] bathe/shampoo daily

b] shave pits

c] deodorant, body powder or spray

d] clean top, bra daily

3] breath

a] brush at least twice a day

b] mouthwash

c] floss at night

d] prof dental care, every six months

In a way, they are doing her a favor - if she has an odor, she needs to know! [ Why didn't you tell her? Or is this new? ]

I have worked with people with odor problems, and it is very uncomfortable, and very unpleasant.They never take  this type of counseling well, even if done by the book; but it does work, and will help her in the long run.

Any one who works with other people will have challenges - at least this is easy to fix.

a] help her fix it

b] send her back to work! Likely the only tow people who know about it, are the two who talked to her.

Answer 3

Companies normally advise people to informally discuss things before going through a formal procedure. I think that if I had an odour problem I would want to know - If your friends collegues were discreet when they spoke with her then I don't see a problem. I doubt they were trying to be malicious.

Obviously if they announced it infront of the whole office then that is very bad and she should write a complaint in.

Answer 4

Some people are blunt, others more subtle and there are no real rules re directness.  Perhaps they should have been more sensitive, but it's a difficult issue to deal with in any event.  Would she have been less upset if they left her a note?  She needs to pull herself together or she'll lose her position.  Does she in fact have a problem, or are these colleagues just being obnoxious?  That may be something she'll need to address.