Guy at work with body odor problem

anything I don't mind · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:31

So there was this guy at work that smells realy bad right, but i didn't know who it was. I knew it was one of the new guys in marketing. So we had a department drinks last night and i started speaking to one of the new guys from marketing and I assumed it was one of the other guys who smelled who had just left but I found out today that it was the guy i spoke to that was smelling and HR had already spoke to him about it. Stupid me with big mouth says to the guy at department drinks, oh that guy who left had a bad body odor problem. I couldn't understand at the time why he didn't react with "yea i know, it was so bad".. I just thought he was reserved. The guy i work with in IT got the "smelly guy" for secret santa and i go and tell him (not realizing it was the guy) that the guy in IT was going to buy him a deodorant pack for secret santa. :mad:

Hopefully he doesn't moan to HR and i feel bad about it.

tl;dr i am stupid idiot who told smelly guy at work that he smells without realizing.

tom_e · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:33

There's absolutely no reason to smell like a stale crap filled gym bag, hopefully it'll give him the kick up the backside he needs to have a wash.

arctine · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:36

Perhaps he knows and does everything he can to prevent it to no avail.

robfosters · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:39

I don't think anyone can't do anything about them smelling.

Good hygiene and regular clothes washing should keep anyone smelling ok.

benjii · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:39

Perhaps you can learn a lesson from this, not to bad mouth people behind their backs.

Dunks · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:41

Are you a woman? Far too much gossiping!

arctine · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:42

robfosters said:
I don't think anyone can't do anything about them smelling.

Good hygiene and regular clothes washing should keep anyone smelling ok.

There are number of conditions that cause abnormally high levels of sweating including anxiety, which is never helped by people making comments.

It doesn't take long for someone who is hygienic to stink if they are sweating profusely.

robfosters · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:45

arctine said:
There are number of conditions that cause abnormally high levels of sweating including anxiety, which is never helped by people making comments.

It doesn't take long for someone who is hygienic to stink if they are sweating profusely.

Still unfair for co workers to have to put up with it.

tom_e · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:46

arctine said:
There are number of conditions that cause abnormally high levels of sweating including anxiety, which is never helped by people making comments.

It doesn't take long for someone who is hygienic to stink if they are sweating profusely.

Sweat does not have any massive smell, if you and your clothes are clean then you will not start to stink to a level where it becomes a problem.
I'm a very warm guy and I sweat a lot, I have never smelled to a level where it's noticeable to people around me.

bushmins · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:47

I wont disagree that you are indeed a stupid idiot. On the other subject of smelly people; what the problem with telling them?

Note to self: people are weird.

adam98150 · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:48

tom_e said:
Sweat does not have any massive smell, if you and your clothes are clean then you will not start to stink to a level where it becomes a problem.
I'm a very warm guy and I sweat a lot, I have never smelled to a level where it's noticeable to people around me.

If he doesn't wear deodorant it won't take him long at all to start and smell. Even if he is clean. But you're right. If you wash, wear clean clothes AND wear deodorant even if you do sweat you won't smell.

bushmins said:
I wont disagree that you are indeed a stupid idiot. On the other subject of smelly people; what the problem with telling them?

Note to self: people are weird.

A lot of the times they need telling. They don't see it as a problem. My boss once gave a co-worker instructions on how to apply deodorant.

arctine · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:49

robfosters said:
Still unfair for co workers to have to put up with it.

Well, that's your opinion. The fact it might not be his fault isn't.

tom_e said:
Sweat does not have any massive smell, if you and your clothes are clean then you will not start to stink to a level where it becomes a problem.
I'm a very warm guy and I sweat a lot, I have never smelled to a level where it's noticeable to people around me.

I'm happy that's true for you but, from experience, it's sadly not the case for everyone.

Prophet · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:50

There's a guy at my company who smells like an open sewer. He has no idea of just how bad he stinks and even kicked off when HR took him to one side.

We can't use the toilet for a good hour+ after he's been!

The worst thing is when he's been sitting at his desk for a while without moving. Once he leans forward or makes a significant move he unleashes a stomach churning odour which can clear the room.

He came in one day with a white stain under both arms. When questioned he laughed it off saying it was cream to stop irritation. He wouldn't need it if he had a shower/bath regularly.

I feel much better having vented this. We're not allows to talk about it in the office!!

mothermachine · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:52

Some people are truly oblivious. There's a guy in my office who makes this weird kind of "crunch/slurp" sound all the time. I mean like every few seconds. ALL. DAY. LONG. Like he's clearing his throat but at the top of his mouth or something. It's truly nasty and I just have no idea how to approach him about it. It's quite off-putting. Luckily I work with my headphones on most of the day but when they're off it's really audible.

I think some people really do just need to be told. But it's finding a tactful way to do it that's tricky. I think I'll leave an anonymous note on his desk or something...

Ayahuasca · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:53

Reminds me of a lad at school who smelt like onions gone bad. To this day I still remember how foul the smell was.

russell664 · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:56

Sounds lovely... Not!

I sweat much more than I should, and never smell at work because washing and using deodorant really does stop it. Period.

AJK · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:56

mothermachine said:
Some people are truly oblivious. There's a guy in my office who makes this weird kind of "crunch/slurp" sound all the time. I mean like every few seconds. ALL. DAY. LONG. Like he's clearing his throat but at the top of his mouth or something. It's truly nasty and I just have no idea how to approach him about it. It's quite off-putting. Luckily I work with my headphones on most of the day but when they're off it's really audible.

I think some people really do just need to be told. But it's finding a tactful way to do it that's tricky. I think I'll leave an anonymous note on his desk or something...

Anonymous note? What are you, 6? Just tell him "could you please stop making that noise, it's very annoying." Most of the time people don't realise that what they're doing is audible and ****ing people off. People spend a hell of a lot of time crammed into small spaces together at work - a certain amount of honesty is needed.

arctine · 5 Dec 2014 at 12:58

russell664 said:
Sounds lovely... Not!

I sweat much more than I should, and never smell at work because washing and using deodorant really does stop it. Period.

As I said to the other guy, It's good that washing and using deodorant works for you but unfortunately that doesn't mean it's the case for everyone.

Also, a period is a full stop, you don't need to write period after a period.

rotters · 5 Dec 2014 at 13:01

just tell him in an honest and open way, but definitely not in a mocking way.

rotters

mothermachine · 5 Dec 2014 at 13:01

AJK said:
Anonymous note? What are you, 6? Just tell him "could you please stop making that noise, it's very annoying." Most of the time people don't realise that what they're doing is audible and ****ing people off. People spend a hell of a lot of time crammed into small spaces together at work - a certain amount of honesty is needed.

No need for that attitude, is there? Like I said, this is about being tactful. Going up to someone and telling them "what you're doing is annoying. Please stop" is hardly tactful, is it? Honesty is the thing, yes, but it's how to go about it....