Working with people who smell

Belmit · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:26

Await Christmas. Bribe people to get her as your Secret Santa recipient. Send appropriately scathing amount of personal hygiene products.

'Til then, wear a snorkel with a hosepipe trailing into the car park.

shamzzz · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:29

Belmit said:
Await Christmas. Bribe people to get her as your Secret Santa recipient. Send appropriately scathing amount of personal hygiene products.

'Til then, wear a snorkel with a hosepipe trailing into the car park.

haha, this is a great idea

rexehuk · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:31

Take her out on a date. Then embarrass her sexually so she's forced to resign.

I see no downside to this plan, but you may have to sleep with her.

Pictures please.

Mark A · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:31

Ask her if she will swap desks?

I think if it was me I'd just put up with it as it would be horrible to be told you smell by the manager. Don't think I could do that to someone.

Gilly · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:32

rexehuk said:
Take her out on a date. Then embarrass her sexually so she's forced to resign.

I see no downside to this plan, but you may have to sleep with her.

That's a pretty big downside, given that she's a stinking beast.

rexehuk · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:32

Gilly said:
That's a pretty big downside, given that she's a stinking beast.

Not if he wears diving gear. You can pretend she's a whale stuck in a net.

Also if you do it in a hotel, there's always the chance she might order loads of bacon and sausages for room service in the morning = WIN.

mrk · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:33

Dkore-DeX said:
My Dad had to tell someone at his work that they needed a bath, their response was that they bathed twice a week, and wasn't this enough? lol

You bath every day then? I shower every day but bath whenever I cba

Columbo · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:33

I've managed 128 staff across 2 warehouses for 10+ years now.

The worst thing I've ever had to do was send someone home last summer because of his aroma. I had 14 different staff complain within the space of about an hour.

A private one to one chat in my office got it sorted soon enough but for some reason I wasn't comfortable doing it.

I've sacked, warned & bollocked staff on numerous occasions but telling someone they stink was a whole different experience and not one I'd want to repeat anytime soon.

My advice is let your manager deal with it, that's what they are there for.

Cosimo · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:34

Just say out loudly, “the smell of used tampons in here is disgusting” as she passes by. The count to ten….

boxman2000 · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:38

Westie said:
Go run up to her and maniacally spray frebreeze all over her! Then walk off! She might get the hint!

Love it

A friend of the family used to smell quite bad, turned out she had a medical problem where she couldn't smell much - it could be as simple as that. Definitely need to handle carefully and I would speak to your manager as you really wouldn't want to get in trouble if she took it the wrong way (which she probably would).

paddy · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:38

Gilly said:
Report it. That's a part of your manager's job.

They should be trained in how to deal with challenging conversations.

+1

A previous boss of mine had to do this (not with me I'd like to stress)

Duff-Man · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:41

You need to handle the situation like this:

Participant · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:41

HNR1 said:
he has more than likely got a scat fetish and thinks you are coming on to him

Admit it, that's you

.

.Lethal · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:41

Just report it to management, you could be upfront and tell her to have a wash but you wouldn't want her taking the matter up with someone else over it.

This way management will have to deal with it in a some-what professional mannor.

I thought the Fabreeze idea was also a good one

B@Th*nG · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:42

i used to work next to a great unwashed. he even irritatingly said once "people buy me all this deodorant for Christmas, why are they always buying it?!"

To be fair though I'm certain he had learning difficulties so if he couldn't get his bicycle helmet on in time in the morning it would be too unsafe for him use a shower and he'd be even later to work than normal.

what a ****

B@

wildman · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:43

rexehuk said:
Not if he wears diving gear. You can pretend she's a whale stuck in a net.

Also if you do it in a hotel, there's always the chance she might order loads of bacon and sausages for room service in the morning = WIN.

wait..... what....... you would stay there till the morning ?

edscdk · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:45

rexehuk said:
Not if he wears diving gear. You can pretend she's a whale stuck in a net.

sooooo, the first thing you think when you see a beached whale, or one caught in a net is... hump it???? think you need to see a doctor...

Maccy · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:45

Buy her a tub of Swarfega.

rexehuk · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:45

wildman said:
wait..... what....... you would stay there till the morning ?

Only to see if the breakfast arrived.

OP... as a subtle gesture you may want to ask your boss to move desk due to the issue when you explain to him? That would be a lot less destructive and humiliating. If she asks why you moved, just say the boss wanted you to move.

Gilly · 27 Sep 2011 at 15:49

rexehuk said:
Only to see if the breakfast arrived.

OP... as a subtle gesture you may want to ask your boss to move desk due to the issue when you explain to him? That would be a lot less destructive and humiliating. If she asks why you moved, just say the boss wanted you to move.

If I stank I would want to know so I could do something about it.

It needs to be handled properly.

Working with people who smell

Man of Honour