Speckled Frost Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 Bad breath and BO among work colleagues - say nothing, tell them straight or hint? No reason as such, all my colleagues are aromatically acceptable, but an interesting issue.
Observer Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 I worked in an office where that happened with someone before and sadly something had to be said. But we weren't talking hint of a whiff here..... more like foul smell that took over the whole room which was a combination of rank breath, stinking feet and seldom washed armpits - in short, general all round complete lack of personal hygiene. It was dealt with as sensitively as possible but was a very awkward issue. The less in your face hint type methods didn't work (endless polo's and copious air freshener.... which incidentally he complained about the freshener.... DOH!) Oh well.
Speckled Frost Posted July 15, 2004 Author Posted July 15, 2004 I think, ultimately, you need to take them aside and tell them straight but what if it's your boss?
ans Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 I worked with a guy once who had quite possibly the worst BO I've ever encountered. It wasn't so much odour, more stench. The job we were both doing at the time was a pretty physically demanding job, lots of lifting and shifting, sweating and farting. You'd go home at the end of the day, dirty, smelly and tired, the first thing most people do is jump in the shower and get changed. And the LAST thing you'd do is sit in your work clothes all evening, go to bed, get up and wear THE SAME clothes to work the next day (no shower either). It was pretty bad. When he walked past you, you'd get the first initial rush of gutwreching nausea, and just when you thought it passed, the secondary attack of something I can only describe as a cross between methane and chlorine hit you smack in the face, spilling into your lungs, contracting your chest so you just can't fking breathe and you have to get out. Ok, it was really bad. Normally, I don't have a problem with telling people what I think. People who've had a bit of a whiff about them, or should really check their mouths for some rotting food to get shut of the odious smell eminating from their gobs are told in no uncertain terms that they stink, and that they need to do something about it. However, this guy was over 40, his wife left him a couple of years ago, he had no friends, no hobbies (bar an obsession with TT race results), lived in a dingy one bedroomed flat above a kebab shop and it was rumoured that those two weeks he had off unexpectedly the previous year, returning to work with heavy bandaging on his forearm, was a suicide attempt. Completely out of character, I took some pity on him and decided not to humiliate and embarrass him with my public assasination of his hygeine. So I went to the boss, explained the situation and he had a word. The next day, he turned up for work, freshly shaven, laundered and less smelly. His stench got progressively better throughout the next few weeks and after a month, he'd sorted himself out to the extent that he was only as smelly as everyone else at the end of the day. I left shortly after to pursue my dreams of fame and fortune as an international pron star, but from what I can gather, he's still there, still fairly clean and hasn't induced anyone to vomit in his vicinity for quite some time.
Speckled Frost Posted July 15, 2004 Author Posted July 15, 2004 That's a moving, inspiring story of one man and his fight to bite his tongue.
Tearz Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 I'd find it hard to approach someone, even though you don't mean to offend it could easily come across that way. Ans any idea how your boss went about it?
Speckled Frost Posted July 15, 2004 Author Posted July 15, 2004 I think you have to take them aside first and foremost. Then explain to them this isn't criticism but advice. You can't tell them not to take it personally because it plainly has to be but alert them to it in such a way that you're telling them for their own good. A lot of people just simply aren't aware there's a problem and will be thankful in the long run.
ans Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 Ans any idea how your boss went about it? I assume he adopted a friendly facade and just had a quiet chat to explain it. Either that or he threatened to sack him, he was pretty poo at the job too.
Topaz Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 " Lived in a dingy one bedroomed flat above a kebab shop " It's Stav , isn't it ?
geo Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 lived in a dingy one bedroomed flat above a kebab shop Stavros by any chance ? Geo
Stavros Posted July 15, 2004 Posted July 15, 2004 I worked in an office where that happened with someone before and sadly something had to be said. But we weren't talking hint of a whiff here..... more like foul smell that took over the whole room which was a combination of rank breath, stinking feet and seldom washed armpits - in short, general all round complete lack of personal hygiene. It was dealt with as sensitively as possible but was a very awkward issue. The less in your face hint type methods didn't work (endless polo's and copious air freshener.... which incidentally he complained about the freshener.... DOH!) Oh well. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I didn't know that we once worked together! Stav.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.