To not speak to my team member who is spraying perfume in work bathroom?

[Fedupcolleague]

I manage a small team, unfortunately there’s a couple of them who despite being grown adults always seem to find various child like gripes which they ask me to get involved in sorting.

The latest one is today. In one of my teams 1:1’s they said they have witnessed a named colleague spraying perfume in the air in the bathroom whenever they have been to the loo. They say they are uncomfortable raising this themselves and asked that I speak to them and make clear it was an anonymous comment to me.

I find this ridiculous and haven’t committed to mentioning it. Would I be unreasonable to tell her I won’t be saying anything?

Can't you do what seems prevalent in workplaces where only adults are and put up a sign 'please refrain from spraying perfume'?

Can't you do what seems prevalent in workplaces where only adults are and put up a sign 'please refrain from spraying perfume'?

This is a good response

If it's in a confined space and if the scent is very strong then yes, it can make me very unwell even if the exposure was for a short period of time. It sets off a migraine and the migraine makes me vomit. I take migralieve for it. Sadly I don't think there is anything anyone can do. I couldn't wear perfume on my wedding day and can't have scented body lotions etc. It just switches on the migraine response faster than anything else.

This.

Least effort, most reward.

If she is following them in there to specifically spray perfume, then yes I would. As someone with bad asthma I would have lost it having someone do that to me. It's passive aggressive and unprofessional especially if there is already air freshener. it also could just be a coincidence and she's dousing herself in the perfume...

HOWEVER - I once worked with a woman with idk what, but the smell when she had been in a bathroom was unholy. I have never experienced anything like it before it after, and we would all speak about it. But in that scenario, perfume wouldn't have made a dent and probably made it worse - but several people implored the boss to speak with her about it and they refused when I think it was definitely needed.

Either way I don't think you can sit this one out, and having to chat with people about difficult topics is part of leadership. I don't think their complaint is unreasonable as I'm sure you wouldn't like someone doing the same to you, and you won't know the ins and out until you do.

Perfume is mostly used as an additional fragrance on a person and in most cases is optional. However deodorant is used to prevent and mask body odour. Some people need to apply this throughout the day so please don't say that in all cases it should only be applied once just to suit you.

Not necessarily an in person thing but YABVU to not stop someone spraying perfume in a shared space. It's a horrible and antisocial thing to do. Perfume is one of my main migraine triggers and I feel dread as soon as anyone starts inflicting their vile stink on everyone else. It's banned in our staffroom luckily (not subtle on person perfume but actively spraying it).

Deodorant is available as a fragrance free roll on product. It does not need to be applied in a way that it enters the air in the workplace.

If the allergy / sensitivity is a medical issue then as a manager you have to make “reasonable adjustments” but that would require Medical confirmation from the complainer. If they provide this then send a general email . If she just doesn’t like it then she needs to be an adult and speak to the person herself . It’s not a management issue . When you work in offices you need to live and let live to a certain extent .

Actually perfume can also affect asthma. I used to have a colleague who sprayed perfume on herself a lot in our office and it made me wheeze.

Dear Lord, how do some people actually function as adults? This smacks of an entitled princess/prince who is used to getting their every whim actioned without question.
I wouldn't do anything about it at all.

To qualify for reasonable adjustment the condition has to meet the definition of disability as defined by the Equality Act. Allergies are generally not classed as disabilities under the Act unless they are long term and have a significant impact on daily life - even hay fever isn’t classed as a disability because it’s a reaction to something, not a permanent condition.

Who do you think is the entitled one here?
I would say it is the one spraying perfume at work.

Certain perfumes can make me really headachy and nauseated so it would be an issue got me. Just put a sign up in the bathroom asking people not to spray offensive smells around the place.

Still thinking that it should be a conversation, either with the one spraying perfume, or the team member who is unhappy.

Given that perfumes are endocrine disruptors and can trigger migraines and allergies in people it's a reasonable request.

Not everyone enjoys your strong, cloying perfume.

Just stick a sign up in the toilets. No need for a seven act drama over it.

If I want to use the ladies bathroom, tidy myself up and spray some perfume on, then I think that's up to me, UNLESS someone has asthma and cannot go near perfume.

Did you ask the complaining person why she was complaining if she doesn't have a medical condition that perfume affects?

Put a sign up in the toilets asking people not to spray perfume.

In fairness I’m allergic to anything with a perfume smell so this would really get on my goat. Although, I would just say would you mind not spraying the perfume near me as I’m allergic and gives me a sore throat for a couple of days.

I hate perfume. It gets up my nose, into my sinuses and gives me a headache.

OP, tell them to stop it it's not fair on your other direct reports, some of whom might have allergies, others may just not like it, like me.

And you don't need air freshener - open the window! People are so stupid about toilet smells that last all of 60 seconds.

Why do you need to spray it in a workplace at all? Nobody is coming up to you and sniffing your skin(I assume ;) ). Keep it for home and going out.

I agree with the email route, I find perfume in general unbearable (effects on me range from mild nausea to thumping headache and more severe nausea) and while it's annoying that other people don't get it, the effects n me are very real and very uncomfortable.

I would tell the complainer you're not her nanny and that she needs to be a big girl and ask her collegue friendly and politely not to spray perfume in the girls'room.