Loo issue in the office

[Standingupstream]

NC for this..
I work in an office with mainly women. There is one man who is senior to us, although he isn’t our manager, and he only started coming over to our office a few months ago.We only have one loo that we all share, and before he started working in our office, this was never an issue.
Now, about 30 minutes after arriving, he disappears into the loo for ages. When he finally comes out, the smell is absolutely suffocating. There’s no window, in the loo and the air fresheners just seem to make the whole thing even more vomit-inducing.
Then, a couple of hours later, he goes again. And again after lunch. And usually once more in the afternoon. This happens pretty much every time he’s in the office, which is around 3–4 days a week.
It has now become a running joke amongst us. If someone needs the loo and it’s occupied, we ask ( other people ) if it’s him, because we all know there’s absolutely no point even attempting to go in for at least half an hour. 😂
My DH actually uses a different loo at home because I hate a poo-smelling bathroom, but obviously if it happens occasionally I’m not exactly precious about it because he’s my DH. I just find it rather gross being subjected to this at work by a man I barely know. 😂

The problem is, we genuinely don’t know what to do about it. How on earth do you approach a grown man about the fact that his toilet habits are basically fumigating the entire office, without completely humiliating him?!
I actually started to worry if he has some serious stomach issues. That would be actually completely different matter.
How would you approach it? Or should we just leave it. We are becoming very cross about it.

I poo 4 times a day nd have done pretty much for as long as I can remember. No issues for me🤷‍♂️

Perhaps you and your colleagues should use that loo.

It's all well and good having a go at the OP for being insensitive to possible medical issues but I couldn't work in an office that stank of poo. That is unfair on all the colleagues, almost certainly not health and safety compliant, and an HR problem to solve.

What’s nasty about that post? Thinking if someone has a shit they could use a more discreet loo?

Of course leave it . It’s absolutely none of your business and he is entitled to go to the toilet at work . What are you hoping to achieve ? Asking him to hold it in ?

The ignorance on this thread is astounding. Some of the comments are actually quite upsetting. I'm trying to give people the benefit of the doubt - it's not their fault if they haven't encountered or experienced bowel related medical conditions. Maybe they genuinely have no idea how they can affect people.

It also depends on whether the loo downstairs is an ‘accessible’ toilet or specifically for the use of disabled people. There’s a difference. If it’s a stand alone toilet away from standard cubicle rooms then it’s very likely only for the specific use of disabled people. I really want to ask, how do you know he doesn’t have a stoma ? Has anyone asked - has it come up in conversation ?

If someone has a medical condition, it might not be that simple. Some people need the nearest toilet.

It’s also quite concerning that the poster thinks fifteen able bodied women are entitled to use a disabled toilet.

It makes me worry for when my son is in the workplace or if. Of course, some people would also judge him for not working. Can't win.

If only it was always as simple as just use a different toilet.

How the hell would you know?!

The biggest issue is the extractor fan needs sorting so more powerful and stays longer on.

But actually I do think someone should speak to him on some limited grounds. The most senior no nonsense woman there. And I would say something like

“Bill, a couple of things you wouldn’t be aware of given you use the single office but I wanted to flag. First, the soundproofing of the toilet door is limited just FYI. second, given this opens straight into the desk area the door needs to be closed after exit by everyone. We are speaking to maintenance about improving the extractor fan but whilst that is being resolved we can’t have it airing into desk space, that obviously wouldn’t be fair to colleagues”

Our workplace has no disabled people at all and an outside person may attend the building maybe once or twice a year at most . Should the disabled loo be left empty at all times just in case a disabled person needing the loo comes in ? That is stupid sorry . It’s different in a public place where a disabled person could come along at any time . In a lot of workplaces this is not the case at all.

But then there would have to be an accessible toilet for women.

It still doesn’t alter the fact that some accessible toilets are for specific use of disabled people. A case in point was the accessible loo in our local shopping area - it’s now locked and only accessible with a radar key because the world and his wife were using it. You’ve clearly never been waiting in a line outside the disabled toilet with a leaking stoma bag.

If he’s using the office loo 3-4 times a day he likely has some issues. Saying anything would probably just embarrass the guy.
1 shared office loo would be my absolute nightmare.
Can you leave some air fresheners etc in there.
Not much you can do really, you can’t exactly instruct him to go home or to macdonalds every time. 😬

Just be that person that raises the issue in a team meeting. There's 15 people to one toilet, sometimes it stinks, can we all put in £2 a buy some bottles of poo drops and other things to make the bathroom better (sanitary towels or whatever) then make a sign and put it up.

I'm not even judging you for being that person, I once worked in an office where people left massive skidmarks in the toilets, didn't wash their hands after going to the loo, didn't flush the toilet after clearly being on their toilet. Was grim. I may have also had the nickname toilet monitor but most people agreed the tiny two person toilet was horrible. You would see people come straight out the toilet and not wash their hands then go straight to the kitchen to touch everything as they made their lunch. It was raised by multiple people in a meeting and to my joy the word 'skid marks' appeared in the minutes of the meeting! My favourite working day ever was when I made signs for the toilet. Was this all bonkers? yes. Did anyone feel singled out? No. Was the toilet less nasty? Hell yes!

Some places only have disabled toilets to cater for everyone . Your argument does not hold . A public building like a shopping centre is completely different from a private workplace where the employees are using the toilet

It's all a bit strange, isn't it. People don't usually end an affair and say to others, "At least he didn't have a stoma". And gossips don't usually ask "Btw, does he have a stoma?"

This is a good suggestion bar the teams meeting part . Might be better to just raise it with management privately in this manner .you don’t know maybe someone did feel singled out who knows

Gosh people on here are weird and preachy. I have a bowel condition which is deeply unpleasant to be around - but I’m acutely aware of it and would seek a remote loo and use poo-pourri if I have to go. Of course he may not be able to help ‘going’ but you can be self aware and at the very least, don’t leave the door open into the office!

I suggest you tackle this either from a building works issue - you should have separate gents/ladies loos, or more loos, especially for that number of employees. Could they look into that please? Or, could you appeal to HR as a group of women and ask that for your comfort, you’d prefer a separate ladies loo so you can kit it out with San pro stuff? Avoids mentioning boss stinky at all.

I'd go to management and highlight that hes going 4 times a day. If hes taking 10 minutes each time thats 40 minutes in a working day gone. Its basically like having a second lunch break. They need to ask if medically hes ok - perhaps hes a just ignoring an issue and them approaching him will make him seek medical attention. In the meantime they can ask him to use the downstairs loo!

Aside from that - you need a working extractor fan and another toilet. 15 people on one floor with 1 toilet is ridiculous. How often do cleaners clean it?!

😂😂😂
It's certainly not something I've ever thought to ask. And I used to work on a colorectal ward so have talked about stomas a lot more than average! I can imagine mentioning it if he did have one but why make a point of saying he didn't?!

How did you find out he has no stoma?

@Standingupstream This is really all anyone wants to know at this point!