Telling a work colleague they smell

[Sparklybutold]

I work with someone who has incredibly bad BO. We work very close as a team and also with our clients. Some colleagues have stated they have to move away because it can be so eye watering. I thought initially she may have a medical issue so just got on with things but then I hear her partner (who also works in the company) also smells. What would you do in this situation? Ignore or say something?

Can you ask her/your manager to tell her gently?

I wouldn't say anything directly to her. Not unless I was their manager or worked in the HR dept and it was actually my job to deal with such things.

I would raise it with her manager/hr, state the facts and ask them to deal with it.

I’ve worked in HR for many years and had to deal with this on three occasions now, all
for different reasons.

let your manager and hr know, they will be able to handle it best and have the sensitive conversation.

I think if she’s working with clients and other members of staff are complaining someone needs to say something.

Please leave it to HR.

It’s a manager’s job to deal with it.

Tis is what you manager is paid for, and hopefully trained to deal with.

If they both have it they might live in a home with severe damp. If no dryer even washing their clothes and hanging to dry would smell of damp

Would definitely raise it with your manager to deal with and ask them to experience it themselves too.

Having been the manager in this situation, it's very sensitive to deal with and a difficult conversation to have but it all comes as part of the job.

It's her line manager's job to say something.

If you do it, it could be perceived as bullying - leave it to HR or their manager.

Let her manager / HR know. At my workplace this usually kick starts cost of living conversations & we can arrange loans / access to clothes washing / housing support. If her partner smells too it’s unlikely to be a personal hygiene issue.

In the meantime, to minimise impact on her, cut down any gossiping you might overhear. Gossipping about someone’s hygiene is bullying & you could all get into serious trouble if it gets out.

I agree, it's up to her manager.

I had a colleague like this....when she left the company they even threw away her chair. Unfortunately nobody dealt with it when she worked with us, and I know she went from job to job afterwards too. I genuinely don't think she realised, and was a lovely person, and good at her job.

As above, this is why management are on more money. It's their job.

Yep Management issue. We had it at previous company and management dealt with it very sensitvely. And things improved substantially.

I'd ignore and let managers deal with it.

Thanks for your input. Sadly the manager has been gossiping about it and sending horrible texts to staff members about it. I'll go to HR about it.

I'd be tempted to show HR the texts. What a nasty human being.

I would be reporting their manager as well, that is not acceptable behaviour

It is likely my colleague will be doing this. I'll be certain to shut down anything I hear. The more I hear about the manager the more my heart sinks tbh.

You or your colleague needs to share those text messages with HR. You will be listened to in confidence and identity protected. What a horrible thing for anyone, let alone a manager, to do.

Please show the messages to HR, gossiping and being nasty is inexcusable. The colleague doesn't deserve this.

You are being a kind and supportive colleague. I had school students - 17/18 yr old boys, who had body odour and I had to step in and talk to them, explaining that when you sweat into previously worn clothes in which you have sweated, the outcome is B.O. Their classmates knew about it, but didn't know how to approach him, no-one wants to upset another. I needed to check that the students had access to washing facilities, both for themselves and their clothing, as I could have helped with that. Your colleague may be totally unaware of her B.O., the ' nose blindness' advert refers to this.