How do I get my coworker to stop picking his nose?

[user1471867483]

He started working in our office August last year.

He's 40, picks his nose and rolls the 'offending article' in his fingers and doesn't wash his hands after. He does this about 7 times day and he's sat right next to me. I haven't the heart to tell him outright to stop, but I'd like to word it to him in a nice, gentle way as it affects me the most being sat next to him. I could tell my boss, but she'll just tell me to tell him myself.
He brings in biscuits to hand out, but yesterday, he dropped most of them on the floor and put them back in the packet and then handed them out to everyone.

How can he have so much snot that he rolls 7 booger balls a day?

I also forgot to tell you that he takes his trainers off and sits with his leg under him and sometimes takes one sock off and massages his foot as he has 'pain in his ankle'. I've never sat next to someone like this before at work.

Lol. Love this!

I promise it's true. I wonder if he has anxiety or something?

Is this him?

Anxiety does not increase snot production.
What do you mean you're an 'immaculate woman'?
You don't need to keep listing the man's vile behaviour, just tell him to stop, he's making you want to vomit.

Love it. Sooooo funny. I can't stop laughing. He's the same size, but our office one is different nationality.

I wonder if he has allergies, and that's why he's producing so much snot?

Either way, it's not appropriate in the office. Next time you see him digging up there, ask him what he thinks about the latest reports linking nose-picking with Alzheimers disease:

https://www.wionews.com/science/frequently-nose-picking-leading-cause-of-progressive-dementia-study-687765

It might motivate him to try to reduce his nose picking (the authors offer some handy hints at the end of the article, such as saline nasal rinses), and at the very least, he'll realise that you've noticed.

Omg it gets worse, I'd be having a fit! This is not normal and acceptable behaviour in public, does he have no social skills! All the stuff he's touching, door handles, work stuff, no no no.

Omg I could not cope with feet in the office. You need a new job!

I'm trying!

Eugh no advice I'm afraid as this is super awkward but would share your ick. So gross. I used to work with a man who regularly touched his bits and farted in meetings. It was bizarre. As im conflict averse im sure I would go for the passive aggressive tissues option (and yes not accept food from him) but probably the right thing to do is address it head (or nose!) On

ALL I would say is that sometimes ppl lack social awareness for a variety of reasons. My brother has (what would formerly be referred to as) Asperger's and he can be bad for passing wind/a bit of nose picking in socially situations despite us definitely being brought up not to do so. In his case I genuinely think it's an unconscious behaviour and he forgets where he is but even so I identify with the ick. Keep us all updated!

Oy Steve, save the nasal gardening for home!

Ask if he's got dry nose and to stop because it's putting you off.

Probably why he left last job lol

Reintroduce face masks.

You have my sympathy. I sit opposite a guy who yawns and doesn't cover his mouth and cracks his knuckles and neck constantly

Make a comment about it out loud either directly or indirectly - his own fault for being disgusting in his 40s.

Why you're tiptoeing around this filthy bastard's feelings is beyond me. He's fucking disgusting and it's astonishing you have put up with this. I would have chucked him out a window ages ago.

LOL 😂

Ugh, I'm used to this as a teacher but didn't realise adults in offices did it as well! Guess I would keep offering tissues and say things like oh that's a big one there or my husband picks his nose a lot, he had to go to hospital once because he didn't have any mucus left. I dunno really, hard one! X

Why are people on here so rude? What on Earth is wrong with a discreet word of ‘a couple of people have notice me you scratch your nose quite a bit and deeply. Just give we share snacks would you mind being more careful, wash your hands?’ And hand the guy some wipes. He’ll already be mortified by that because he has probably not realised. Why be a deliberate dick? I honestly wonder where some of you work.

I think a discreet word is probably more embarrassing than a passing comment.

I would just say something like this.

be direct. Just tell him. He probably thinks he is getting away with it with no one noticing.

Tell him that nose picking is something people do in private and it’s really unpleasant for him to do it next to you.

If he defends himself, tell him it makes you feel physically sick when he does it.

You are not a child who needs to run to her boss. Your boss is quite right to tell you to address it yourself first

Put superglue on his fingers. Make Roald Dahl proud.

You think telling someone they make you feel sick is less embarrassing than someone trying to politely do you a favour, out of the way of public embarrassment? Righto, that makes a lot of sense…

When did i say i would say i feel sick...........................?
By a passing comment i would make something up like "my mates kid keeps picking his nose and flicking it everywhere" or something like that. It's a comment that would need to be in the right situation at the right time. Avoids the embarrassment but makes them more conscious of it going forward. If still ignored then direct comment needed from the manager.