Pilchards in Public

[YellowTulips]

I work in an open plan office with desks in banks of 6's and 8's.

A member of the team sitting near me has embarked on a new diet that seems to consist of ryvita crip breads and sliced tomatoes plus a tin on pilchards.

At lunchtime said tin is opened and the stench permeates the who office.

Nearly 5 hours later I can still
smell it .

Is it ever acceptable to eat really smelly food in an open office?

AIBU to speak to said person and ask her to keep her pilchards private

I think there are generally accepted rules about not eating stinky foods in open plan offices. Anything very garlicky, fishy, strong curry smells are over the line.

When you have a word you can use the useful standby of "I have had some complaints" but of course you can't reveal from who. That way he can't really counter it, and you aren't the food police as it's not you who's deemed it too stinky, so you won't get drawn into having to classify other foods.

Thing is this bloke knows he's being out of order and he just doesn't care, with his "pilchards ahoy" which yes is quite funny to read but wouldn't be very funny if you were sitting next to him every day!

OP as manager you should be attempting to get a space where people can eat their lunches away from their desks. It shouldn't matter what people choose to eat. The whole thing of workplaces not providing somewhere where people can eat lunch away from their desks is totally shit IMO. I have this where I am and it means that unless you go out you cannot get a proper lunch break.

I hate strong smelling food and this would have had me heaving whilst I was preggie. Sprays like oust and febreeze do work to neutralise odours though, I know some people are sensitive to those too though but worth a try if nobody objects.

I think it's difficult to enforce no eating at your desk if there's no canteen or staffroom.

I think words have been had with the person who used to heat fish in our microwave, or possibly they've left. Fish does seem to be particularly pervasive, so that puts in a different category from oranges or honey, neither of which I am keen on close up, at least at certain times of the month - but they're mostly temporary smells, which only happen while the orange is being peeled or the honey jar is first opened, and I can just walk a couple of desks away, and it's not a problem, but fish can spread and linger, which is why it's an issue. And he also knows people are aware of it and aren't keen, and that attitude is an issue, too.

He could have soused herring. Fishy, tasty and not smelly.

I think the uni was a different poster text.

You can't have no eating at desk unless you as management provide adequate setting for people to eat lunch they bring. Many people cannot afford to buy expensive lunches every day and it's pretty basic to be able to bring in a healthy packed lunch.

I also work at my desk through lunch if I need to get away that day at 5 so I think YWBU to deprive people of that option.

But yes, no smelly foods - and fgs no stinky Febreze or air fresheners! I cannot imagine anything worse than trying to eat surrounded by a hideous artificial floral smell. At least pilchards are an actual food!

*adequate seating

no staff room?

I'd rather have pilchards in the office than someone wearing poison perfume - it's vile.

My colleagues all eat smelly food at their desks but the smell only lasts minutes - and the worst one is microwaved popcorn (especially if it's burnt)

I think as manager you need to have a friendly and tactful word with the fishy man. Maybe agree with the team a few weeks later about consideration for each other with lunch choices, particularly those which leave lingering smells.

I do think most employers would think it is an important to provide a suitable rest space for staff lunch breaks. It is not really acceptable or good for staff well-being and productivity to not have a break way from their desks.

I remember i once microwaved a fish-finger sandwich at work
The smell was like...
A supervisor came in and said: "Ladies, can you please wash you knickers once in a while..."

This happens at my office. I hate it. There are no restrictions on what people can eat at their desks and as a result we get all sorts. The most disgusting of my colleagues does eat fish and it is gross and the smell does linger for hours (so sorry to the poster who thought it doesn't unless it's off - perhaps you can't smell it if you're the one eating it?). One of the worst is when she brings in leftovers and reheats them - beef is a particularly bad one, as is a reheated roast dinner.

Tinned pilchards are still eaten by people? Ugh! I used to buy tins to feed my cat years ago. When picking then small DS up from nursery one day I asked what he'd he'd had for lunch that day and he blithely replied 'cat food'. It was actually a pilchard salad ??.

But they should be cat food. Blugh!! YANBU.

I think he needs an attitude adjustment. He's been told, and his reaction was not to apologise and find either another food or place to eat, but instead to keep doing it, and make jokes about it. Firm words should be had about the eating AND the attitude.

Difficult to manage. Where do you draw the line? I remember way back when I worked in an office, lots of women would make revolting cup-a-soups . They, in turn, would moan about my rice cakes which (rather surpingly for such a plain foodstuff) stink to high heaven

Now I eat in my car as I drive to and from appointments so only have myself to worry about offending

I recall DH rushing me along once as we were going out somewhere and I was still eating my lunch.
Me and my 2 rounds of Mackerel got in the car and I happily ate them as we drove along

Is there a pilchardgate update, please?

I once took a salad that had pilchards and hard boiled eggs in a office where it was not possible to open the windows. No one spoke to me for the rest of the week.

Could you mock up a little playful 'petition' and get all affected co-workers to sign it? Present it to him, laughingly (but firmly) and say "We've really had enough of this. Your pilchards stink. Next time, you eat them, we will all vomit on your desk"

I would take action against an employee who did this,it's work place bullying