He really smells... how to tell someone they smell bad?
There is one Coworker, really smells bad, sweaty.. not only me but everyone around is annoyed.. How to tell someone they smell without hurting their feelings?? Is it possible or is it rude?
If the coworker respects you as a person. Then just go to the person, say: "I'm sorry that I'm the one that has to tell you this, but ... " , bring it on gently, but also be direct and honest. And add that you would like it if people told you something like this directly, so that you become aware and can do something about it. That you don't like hypocrisy, and that you give this as a friendly hint since it's something you can only become aware off if an outsider tells you this. After that... it's all up to him and how he reacts. Cross fingers. But I believe it's actually the nice thing to do as long as you are on good terms with eachother.
@DreamyCrush Wait? Aren't we living in a liberal society, where individuals make individual choices. And if those individual choices create a situation that bothers other individuals, that we can sit down and have a talk about it. And then at the end, if you talked about it and you considered eachothers ideas, that the individuals can reevaluate their position?
If you find out that the person has diabetes or something, something that causes this effect and he/she has gone to a dermatologist to try and do something about it, but it's pretty hard for them to find something effective... maybe you can reevaluate your opinion.
However, if the other person didn't notice this about him/her-self and they find out that you gently nudged them and that it was causing ripples with his collegues, maybe he can either try to have better hygeniens... after a while ask you discretely if things have gotten better, and then maybe choose to search for medical help.
If you have no opposition, if no one questions your way of life, if no one tackles your arguments, if no one talks to you... how can you ever grow and become a better person. It's outside stimulus that create situations that may or may not open you up to reevaluate certain things that you do, certain things that you think.... that doesn't mean that at the end of this process you will change your ways, or that you come to the conclussion that you even need too, but if everyone keeps living in their bubble and believe that how they live and who they are and what they think is alright, then there is verry little wiggle room to grow as an individual.
Had a similar situation with a colleague once. Thing is some people love hot showers and tend to put on underarm deodarants straight after and because the pores are still open it renders these ineffective.
I called my colleague aside and asked him how he applies his sdeodarants after he showers and explained to him why I am asking. Asked him if he could wait until his body has cooled down before applying any deodorants and he agreed. Needless to say he was grateful for the advice since he was self aware of the problem and embarrassed by it. After trying the method he no longer had the problem.
It is not always good to assume that when people smell sweaty they do not shower or bathe themselves. Our bodies and chemical makeup are not the same from one person to the next.
Hope you find an empathetic way to address this problem with your co worker.
I've actually had to address this with an employee before. I was an assistant manager. I just sat her down privately in my office, told her that several coworkers had made complaints about her hygiene, and warned her that if the complaints continued, action would have to be taken (written warning then more severe actions if still not corrected).
we had that problem in gym management told the person that when he is in gym he is working up a sweat(but he smelt rotten when he entered) and to please for other members sake, use roll on
