Colleague Body Odor Forum

[paradiselost9]

Colleague is smelling so badly today in our shared office that I can't enjoy eating food in my office and can't focus on working because I almost want to vomit. Just sharing that, no matter what your culture, please shower thoroughly everyday and wear unworn and non-odorous clothes everyday.

Jesus christ. Anyone have a clue how to rid myself of dealing with this stench?

[tangenisi]

That is nasty. Absolutely nasty. So sorry for you!!

How do people not get this? You are a lawyer who will be coming in contact with colleagues and clients daily. How do you not want to look and smell your best?

Any tips for communicating something like this to the 'smelling party'?

[koalatriste]

handling something like this is literally HR's one function that does not involve health insurance paperwork.

but seriously, it's awkward, but contact someone in HR and they can say something.

[omar1]

Are you close with that person? As in, you on "decent" talking terms?

I had a similar issue with my office-mate in the past. We shared an office for a few months already so that made it less awkward (only a bit less awkward tbh lol). When my office mate came to work smelling like literal crap for the third or fourth time, I started with something like "which laundromat do you drop off your clothes to" and he said that he does the laundry himself blah blah and I said that he shouldn't take it the wrong way or anything, but something must be wrong with his laundry machine or something because the smell is pretty bad...he turned red as a cherry but he took the hint and took better care of himself.

If you can resolve it internally, I wouldn't involve the HR.

[s1m4]

Are you close with that person? As in, you on "decent" talking terms?

I had a similar issue with my office-mate in the past. We shared an office for a few months already so that made it less awkward (only a bit less awkward tbh lol). When my office mate came to work smelling like literal crap for the third or fourth time, I started with something like "which laundromat do you drop off your clothes to" and he said that he does the laundry himself blah blah and I said that he shouldn't take it the wrong way or anything, but something must be wrong with his laundry machine or something because the smell is pretty bad...he turned red as a cherry but he took the hint and took better care of himself.

If you can resolve it internally, I wouldn't involve the HR.

hahah this made me lol @ work

[encore1101]

We have a paralegal who is on a different floor from me. He's probably older than middle-aged, bordering on elderly (or at least, looks that way), and is obese. He was banned from using the bathroom on his floor, so he has to use the elevator to my floor to use the bathroom.

I've walked in the bathroom while he's in there, or after he was in there, several times, and it just makes me lose my appetite to use the bathroom, if that makes sense. Like, his odor is so overwhelming and horrible that I can't stand to use the bathroom after him. Same with the elevator. I can always tell if he just used the elevator because there is a lingering stench. If someone gets on the elevator with me on a later floor, I almost feel the need to apologize and tell them that the smell isn't coming from me. You know how badly you have to smell to embarrass others when you're not even around anymore?

The word "lingering" is not entirely accurate because it implies that it's some small amount remaining, but the stench is actually very powerful. It's sickening.

Also, I was in the Marines before law school. Def not saying that to brag but I've been in some pretty shitty situations -- i.e. in boot camp, I shared a squad bay with 75+ guys who hadn't showered in weeks. I slept in trucks for weeks at a time with other guys without showering in the middle of the desert. I've used port-o-johns that have been baking in 120+ degree weather and haven't been cleaned since the Mesopotamian Age. None of that has prepared me for this dude.


Blechh