Colleague behaving in a foul manner - is this really an excuse?

[Obnoxiouswork]

One of my colleagues in her mid-40’s has started breaking wind in front of others on the team. This is in meeting rooms and in our break out area. She isn’t hiding it and just says ‘oh that’s the joys of peri’. I did jokingly suggest she could be the first person taken to HR for this and she matter of factly said that they wouldn’t dare get involved when it’s peri related.

Is this really an acceptable reason in your view?! I have changed my name because I’ve given a clue as to my company in a previous post.

Um no - that’s not normal behaviour. Have you asked if peri also turned her into a selfish arsehole?

Good lord that’s revolting! A classic example of blaming peri for everything’

I partly blame money grabbing marketing machines for all this "peri" bandwagon-jumping. Sounds like she's swallowed the Kool Aid and puts every physical thing that happens down to "peri".

Pity you can't vomit on demand. I had a similar issue, but it can be done discreetly. I'd have to take it higher.

Horrific, it’s nothing to do with peri, it’s just really bad manners and rude

It depends really. If she has absolutely no warning it’s coming then I guess there’s nothing she can do 🤷‍♀️

Fart troll?

Nonsense.

No…MNHQ can check my posting history.

The joys of peri?

Totally unacceptable. If your colleague made more visits to the toilet to break wind in privacy, that would be fine.

I agree with this. I would tell her she is disgusting and needs to go break wind in the toilet.

HR will get involved.
Ours get involved after one lady thought it was a great idea to aim her armpits at the desk fan that then wafted her smell over our desks.
She even went to tribunal and lost.

Interested to hear what others say about managing this - We have a similar issue in our office but we don’t know who the culprit is. It makes being at work bloody miserable.

Do you know what, I have never farted in the workplace because I’m not a toddler who can’t control my bodily functions.
I once worked with someone who had diverticulitis and suffered from flatulence at times - he always left the room if he needed to fart. If she is claiming it’s down to menopause, then she should ask for adjustments to allow her to leave the office when needed.

How crass . Why on earth would a woman lower herself to behave like this in her frigging workplace. Animal .

Bully for you, but I do know people who have medical conditions which mean they genuinely don’t have that warning pressure or feeling. They are absolutely mortified by it but I don’t think they should have to be reclusive.

The OPs colleague should be referred to Occupational Health to see if there’s something amiss. I hope they don’t have bowel cancer like my friend with this problem.

Disgusting

I have known two colleagues to fart openly in the office (both female, not that it matters)

I could never

That poor judge… 🤦🏼‍♀️🤣

One of the benefits of wfh or hybrid working is you have less chance of such behaviour. I wonder if the OP is employed by someone requiring them to be in the office more than is essential.

We are only required to be in twice a week, it’s a reasonable policy.

It's easier for her to blame Perimp than acknowledge that her digestive system is becoming more sensitive as she gets older.

She's using "peri" as a free pass to be rank.
Yes, everyone passes wind but clearing rooms and taking pride in that is something else. YANBU.

It is possible that she farts without wanting to you know! It is a known fact that peri and meno women often fart more that normal. It's not about farting openly or forcing it out but it just can happen involuntarily and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

My MIL would often get up from a chair at home, start walking and fart - she definitely didn't do it on purpose! Friends of mine, who are meno age say the same. Sometimes it's affected by certain foods which they try to avoid but otherwise it's just digestive changes in the body. Very embarrassing for women especially when you read reactions like this!

Engagement farming post, sadly mumsnet is full of them now.

Wear a facemask 😷😷