Co-worker with bad BO

Sure is good

Looking for advice here or opinions from anyone else in the same situation...
Hi all, working in retail and this problem started a year ago or more and it's progressively getting worse. She's a young girl in her early 20's and those working along side her have been putting up with this for the guts of a year. She is a lovely girl, don't get me wrong, but it's got to the stage now where it's so bad that it's embarrassing for anyone of us to be beside her. I know customers get the whiff, I've seen their faces when they get it and they probably think it's off me or the other girls, and we feel so embarrassed the whole time.
I know, of course, everyone sweats, it's only natural but this is so bad you'd almost wretch... even when she walks away, it lingers around for at least 5 minutes.
And I know also that there can be underlying health issues that cause this but in this case I don't think so. We've all noticed she's been wearing the same jeans for ages, you know when jeans get so dirty, they develop that nasty sheen?
We mentioned it to head office and they said it's a delicate situation and they'd have to figure out how to approach it... that was 4 or 5 months ago.
Has anyone been in a similar situation and how was it dealt with? Obviously it's a difficult thing to approach but at the same time, it can't go on forever.
Thoughts, please...

Atlantic Dawn

Either a can of deodrant in the post or a text from a burner phone telling her to clean herself up should give her the message.

Sure is good

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Either a can of deodrant in the post or a text from a burner phone telling her to clean herself up should give her the message.

Thanks AD, would hate to hurt her feelings though, but maybe you have a point.

Caranica

Had that situation with a colleague and I'm their line manager. Said it straight out, in private, "I know this is a little bit awkward but it has to be said and I don't think you realise, but you have more than a slight BO issue". The person was mortified but grateful I'd told them as they didn't realise and in our line of work it may affect their chances of progressing. Haven't had an issue since and they've thanked me numerous times since then.

Sure is good

Caranica wrote: »

Had that situation with a colleague and I'm their line manager. Said it straight out, in private, "I know this is a little bit awkward but it has to be said and I don't think you realise, but you have more than a slight BO issue". The person was mortified but grateful I'd told them as they didn't realise and in our line of work it may affect their chances of progressing. Haven't had an issue since and they've thanked me numerous times since then.

I forgot to add to the post that it doesn't help that one of their parents work there too who is... a bit volatile shall I say...

amtc

My boss in a previous job had to do something similar. Turned out the guy was cycling in and just never thought. In the long run ended up getting funding for showers to be installed.

Not quite the same thing but I had a habit of spraying perfume as I left every day. It was normal to me as I left work. It must've been a year before a co worker approached me to say he was going home smelling of chanel. May have been nice on me but not on him!

Sure is good

amtc wrote: »

My boss in a previous job had to do something similar. Turned out the guy was cycling in and just never thought. In the long run ended up getting funding for showers to be installed.

Not quite the same thing but I had a habit of spraying perfume as I left every day. It was normal to me as I left work. It must've been a year before a co worker approached me to say he was going home smelling of chanel. May have been nice on me but not on him!

I could almost handle that... that's fresh sweat but this is just unwashed stink...

Caranica

Sure is good wrote: »

I forgot to add to the post that it doesn't help that one of their parents work there too who is... a bit volatile shall I say...

Does their parent have the same issue?

Sure is good

Caranica wrote: »

Does their parent have the same issue?

Being honest, no. I've never smelt BO from them

jeoun

http://www.nooffenseoranything.com/bodyodor.html

Dublinstiofán

Wrap up a deodorant / shower set in Christmas wrapping paper with her name on it (in block capitals) and say it was found behind the counter and you don’t know where it came from but that she might aswell have it as it was meant for her.

Problem solved, hopefully she gets the message!

Pelvis

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Either a can of deodrant in the post or a text from a burner phone telling her to clean herself up should give her the message.

WTF?? Are you 12?

Atlantic Dawn

Pelvis wrote: »

WTF?? Are you 12?

Having a chat with someone in the office may make them uncomfortable around them again.

Pelvis

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Having a chat with someone in the office may make them uncomfortable around them again.

And a can of lynx in the post and anonymous text telling them they stink is supposed to make them feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

pauliebdub

It's a situation I've had in the past and it's intolerable but easily rectified. Have you spoken to your team leader? They should be dealing with this! Have other colleagues noticed or commented on the problem?

If so get a few of you to speak with the team leader and give them a time frame for sorting the issue out. If nothing is done I would speak to her myself but be tactful.

John_Rambo

Someone approached me to say it to someone on the team. It's mortifying for both parties in fairness.

You should be able to say it to the manager and the manager should say it to the girl without telling her who brought the problem to the manager.

The manager should actually say it was them that noticed the problem and not say it was a co-worker.

Things don't always work out that way. Some managers won't have the balls and will say "it's been brought to my attention".

gavindublin

It's falls under health and safety. Push your management on it, raise it as a documented grievance. It's not something they can choose to ignore.

Purple Mountain

It's absolutely the managers issue to address this.
If it's been going on for a year it's not going to stop by itself.
It's not fair on other staff and also it's really bad PR for customers too.
A few of you need to go back to management or HR and address this tactfully looking for a resolution time frame and plan.
It's not up to other colleagues to address this. It could turn nasty.

jimmycrackcorm

Caranica wrote:

Had that situation with a colleague and I'm their line manager. Said it straight out, in private, "I know this is a little bit awkward but it has to be said and I don't think you realise, but you have more than a slight BO issue". The person was mortified but grateful I'd told them as they didn't realise and in our line of work it may affect their chances of progressing. Haven't had an issue since and they've thanked me numerous times since then.

I had a similar enough scenario albeit ironically it was a complaint from another colleague about overdoing the lynx.

Had to take the person aside and explain. It's an awkward conversation but always works out once explained.

mistersifter

group meeting where manager says "everyone" shower before you come to work cos there's been complaints from customers that someone f*cking stinks!" .

refusetolose

Pelvis wrote: »

And a can of lynx in the post and anonymous text telling them they stink is supposed to make them feel all warm and fuzzy inside?

Sure is good, maybe even nicer than lynx

Purple Mountain

mistersifter wrote: »

group meeting where manager says "everyone" shower before you come to work cos there's been complaints from customers that someone f*cking stinks!" .

This would be good but ultimately it would be up to the managers to coordinate that.

B.A._Baracus

I worked in Argos when I was 18 and I was told I smelled
Just to give a bit of backstory... I was a Christmas temp working in the stockroom racing around all day picking the orders. Manager was a dick looking back always at people to "get a move on" (all about speed of the orders) - I am not making no excuses. I foolishly used to shower every second day and wash the only shirt I was given every second day too. Should have at least dosed myself in spray but of course the solution was to shower every day as you'd work up such a sweat in the hot stockroom.

One of the girls came up to me in the stockroom and said I smelled. A very firm approach she took. She was a nice girl tho. I didn't mind as she was letting me know.
What was bad was the very next day I was talking to another lad who also worked in the stockroom. Would rarely see him as we worked different shifts. I said how something sucks and his reply was "yeah... it's STINKY isn't it?" - As*hole could have pulled me aside and let me know rather than his snide comment. You could argue that he didnt know that I knew but I have reason to believe he did too. As the girl who told me was his good friend. Alas... what can you do.


So want my advice?
- Shes a woman so get a woman to let her know. It's less embarrassing when its the same sex.
- Only do it when she is alone.
- Be firm.
- If there is a uniform top in the job make sure she gets another one. Because after being told I smelt I asked an assistant manager for another Argos top and they wouldn't give me one. Had to ask someone else a week later to get one (just so i'd bloody have a spare top in the wash)

Grab All Association

Off topic but I was in Heatons yesterday there were 3 people nearby and we could all get a smell of poo. Next thing a mid aged woman runs out of the homeware section past us and there was diarrhoea coming out her trouser legs.

We’ll all crap our pants one day and we’ll all stink at some point in our lives. You’d be doing her a big favour by pointing it out now rather than someone telling her nastily.

the_syco

Sure is good wrote: »

I forgot to add to the post that it doesn't help that one of their parents work there too who is... a bit volatile shall I say...

Doesn't say it directly, as word will no doubt get back to the volatile one. Have their manager tell them.

_Brian

I’d say as their co worker it’s not your place to deal with this directly.

Speak to your line manager or supervisor and ask them to deal with it but not mention who raised the problem.

I’ve dealt with this as a supervisor and if done discreetly and in private it can be dealt with.
Of course the person was mortified, but started showering every morning and using deodorant which they hadn’t been.

MrVestek

I actually had this pointed out to me in work a while ago too.

I've never had a problem with BO before and obviously I shower regularly.

Turns out my jacket was actually the problem.

I was wearing this fake leather jacket at the time that really smelled (no matter how much I would wash it...) bad. It's like it was soaking up the sweat as I was walking around and holding on to the smell.

Any time I wore it my arms ended up smelling awful but I just never noticed it.

After I stopped wearing said jacket problem was solved.

Perhaps something similar is happening to them?

BrokenArrows

Have a word with your manager and ask them to mention it to her.
Thats what management is there for. To manage the work place.