What would you do if someone in your office......

Col200sx

..... Stinks up the whole room from his b/o, smell of smoke and booze.

Never changes his clothes, you're sometimes lucky if he's been on the right tear as you can smell the fags and booze more than the b/o and dirt.

Gagging here from the smell of him, it's horrible.

Thoughts?

petes

Throw a bucket of dettol on them.

No excuse for it.

ejmaztec

Petrol

Match

Run.

Keano

Buy 1000 air freshners and when he is not around put them all over his desk.

Porkpie

Get one of these

Kiera

I have one of these. Not as bad as you described but he does smell like a gym bag. Say it to your manager and let them have a word.

Unfortunately I am the manager and still hadn’t the balls to say it to him. It hasn’t been that bad lately so will put it off until it starts up again.

Fizman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dmE-emrrAs

Jet Black

Tell him maybe?

jungleboy

If you are sharing the space with I think its is best not try and deal with it yourself.
Dose this person have a close friend or someone he gets on with best in the office, if so i would talk to them and see whats going on with him - it sound like he has a problem and i am sure you don't want to add to that. However perhaps some constructive advise would help, I had a similar problem with a staff member before and advise him that it effecting others.

If this dose not work then is obvious he has no respect for others and i would just tell him, or get you boss to deal with it.

merc998

Thats nasty!!!apartently your not aloud tell someone its some sort of a law.you have to tell managment and they've to tell them with a least 1 witness.Feel for you thats horrible either you bring some air freshner sprays in and just keep dropping hinds smelly git!!!

R0ot

Speak to HR?

AnonoBoy

When you said office did you actually mean homeless shelter?

NothingMan

Probably just make a joke out of it to not be too mean, but if it's constant then i'd certainly complain to a manager.....Or kick him in the face. I don't mean that in a violent way, it's a well known fact that a face kicking is the secret ingredient in Lynx deoderants.

Wazdakka

Chances are the guy doesn't know he stinks..
Say it to him.

What's with all the pussyfooting around with managment and HR.

This over the top carefulness and PC bolox has gone mad.
If you were the person, would you rather hear about in a polite, joking, light hearted and nice way from your co-worker, Or in some over the top, chain of managment fuelled orgy of trumped up political correctness.

I would prefer to hear from the co-worker directly instead of involving more people in something that he could be oblivious to and probably quite embarrassed about.

VERYinterested

I worked with a guy once who smelled like a pigeon loft. It was horrible, b/o, manky yellow teeth, obviously couldn't use toilet paper and he must have slept in his clothes. We did everything from leaving the windows wide open on cold days like today to getting him grooming sets at Christmas.

We went to the boss about it and he had a chat, it improved for a time but he kept on having to be reminded. Now I remember that was one good thing about that company going bust and I no longer had to work with this person, it was abominable, you have my sympathy OP.

TobyZiegler

Kiera wrote: »

I have one of these. Not as bad as you described but he does smell like a gym bag. Say it to your manager and let them have a word.

Unfortunately I am the manager and still hadn’t the balls to say it to him. It hasn’t been that bad lately so will put it off until it starts up again.

I feel for you. Must be seriously awkward thing for manager to have to say to someone.

I'm sure people are glad to know but it still must be incredibly awkward for them and whoever is telling them.

Kiera

TobyZiegler wrote: »

I feel for you. Must be seriously awkward thing for manager to have to say to someone.

I'm sure people are glad to know but it still must be incredibly awkward for them and whoever is telling them.

Yeah there's no easy way to tell someone they smell. I wanted to drop hints like "ew it smells in here today, what is that?" but i still think thats mean. If it starts up again i'll find out off HR what way to deal with it.

Col200sx

:eek: That's a lot of replies in a short space of time.

Quick background on the situation:

This guy is in his 60s, alcoholic, very old school, spends each evening in the pub after work, but never fails to show up, and manages to get through the day, although his level of workmanship in an IT office is pretty bad.

I've never seen him in different clothes, he sits approx 15 feet away from me and I can still smell him. Some days he smells only pretty badly (like that's even acceptable!), other days, put it this way, if you were in a queue for something and he was in the same queue, you'd leave and come back later.

He's a recluse, and nobody can/will say anything to him. It's one of those sh1te situations we're all in.

xsiborg

Kiera wrote: »

Yeah there's no easy way to tell someone they smell. I wanted to drop hints like "ew it smells in here today, what is that?" but i still think thats mean. If it starts up again i'll find out off HR what way to deal with it.

Make an announcement to your office staff that you are taking them on a "team buiklding exercise" to the local swimming baths, get them to see it like a brain storming session like the romans used do. The rest of your team will pick up on the hint straight away and hopefully the "ollfactory offender" too might take the hint.

If you get the feeling he doesnt care mich then for personal hygiene, then might be the time to reconsider his position within an office environment. This could obviously have a detrimental effect on staff morale in general and this person doesn't seem all that bothered!

Dravokivich

Col200sx wrote: »

This guy is in his 60s

Well.. at least he's up for retirement in the next couple of years!

- Drav!

phasers

Tell your boss he sexually harassed you

jungleboy

You have got to talk to your boss, just tell him the truth. Get as many other people to come with you as you can.

Has this been discussed with anyone else in the office?

KarmaGarda

Look on the bright side. You can fart as much as you like and no one will notice.

CrazyRabbit

Wazdakka wrote: »

Chances are the guy doesn't know he stinks..
Say it to him.

What's with all the pussyfooting around with managment and HR.

This over the top carefulness and PC bolox has gone mad.
If you were the person, would you rather hear about in a polite, joking, light hearted and nice way from your co-worker, Or in some over the top, chain of managment fuelled orgy of trumped up political correctness.

I would prefer to hear from the co-worker directly instead of involving more people in something that he could be oblivious to and probably quite embarrassed about.

You smell.

Sofiztikated

My mentor, back in the day, told us how he dealt with one person like this.

After dropping many, many hints, he ended up just going up to him with a bar of soap, and said, "Here, don't want to be a prick, but, use this." Worked, apparently.

However, that did happen a number of years ago, and I can imagine the amount of ****e that would get you into now.

stovelid

betafrog wrote: »

A girlfriend of a friend works in a well known video rental store and has been told by managment 3 times that her BO was unacceptable and that they had received complaints from both staff and customers about it.

There is a woman in the Tesco beside my workplace and her BO is incredible.

I can't understand how people cannot smell themselves? It must be a deeper problem surely.

AnonoBoy

betafrog wrote: »

To be fair to her there doesn't seem to be much she can do about it,

Deodorant?

mixer101

phasers wrote: »

Tell your boss he sexually harassed you

?
..and you reckon this would help?
How, exactly?

stovelid

Perhaps something like Driclor or even botox might help.

trustno1

Col200sx wrote: »

:eek: That's a lot of replies in a short space of time.

Quick background on the situation:

This guy is in his 60s, alcoholic, very old school, spends each evening in the pub after work, but never fails to show up, and manages to get through the day, although his level of workmanship in an IT office is pretty bad.

I've never seen him in different clothes, he sits approx 15 feet away from me and I can still smell him. Some days he smells only pretty badly (like that's even acceptable!), other days, put it this way, if you were in a queue for something and he was in the same queue, you'd leave and come back later.

He's a recluse, and nobody can/will say anything to him. It's one of those sh1te situations we're all in.

Does he talk to anyone at all in the office?, if he is that bad someone else surely must have brought it up with management, he either doesn't realise how bad he smells (as someone else mentioned you get used to it to the point you don't smell it anymore) or he simply doesn't care. I kinnda feel sorry for him if his life revolves around a pub and he doesn't take care of his appearance.. . But I do feel your pain - there is nothing worse than sitting near something or someone that smells - even the 'breathing through your mouth' thing doesn't work!!.. I would just tell mangement to sort it out.. thats what they get paid the big money for and they should be trained in these things..

Fratton Fred

club together and buy him a mail order bride for christmas.

HereticPrincess

Get a massive fan on your desk & point it at him.

He's gotta smell it coming back at him.

petes

Another +1 for getting management to speak to him.

I also don't believe that if you spend a long time around a bad smell you become oblivious to it.

Col200sx

So far this morning I've got a fan pointing at me to at least clear whatever air I can towards my nose and mouth, but can still smell him.

Seriously it's rancid. And I'm not the only one to have mentioned it:mad:

Plucking up the courage to say to management.................

the_syco

Kiera wrote: »

If it starts up again i'll find out off HR what way to deal with it.

Let HR deal with it for the following reasons:
Quite chat could be seen as bullying
Remarks could be seen as bullying

I say this from seeing the above turned against those trying to help. The smelly f**ker still works there.

stovelid

Every time you pass his desk, bend over and fart towards him.

When questioned by HR, refer to it as Equipollent Odour Distribution.

Ticktactoe

With some people it is a glandular problem and surgery is the only way to sort it out. However by the OPs post it seems that his problem is the pub and lack of hygiene. There is no way this guy doesn't know that he smells. Of course he does but he just doesn't care and that would p!ss me off! My stomach would not be able for that.

You need to say it to your boss in a way that its affecting your concentration and work!
If that fails i say go with the air fresheners!

Poor Uncle Tom

Air freshners are a must,
but I'm all for.....
'hey buddy, there's a smell coming from your side of the office, you did shower today, didn't you?
there must be something dead in one of your pockets, get it sorted out over lunch, will ya?'

should do the trick...

smileysurfer

betafrog wrote: »

A girlfriend of a friend works in a well known video rental store and has been told by managment 3 times that her BO was unacceptable and that they had received complaints from both staff and customers about it.

She was actually sent home from work one day because the manager couldn't put up with it. To be fair to her there doesn't seem to be much she can do about it, she could literally spend 15 minutes in the shower and still reek of it 5 minutes later...

That could actually be a medical condition, people can suffer from foul smelling sweat minutes after showering, was studying it in college recently, not pleasant id say!

I would recommend definitely saying it to management, it might be seen as bullying if people start jokingly ''hey man you reek''. :O

Col200sx

Poor Uncle Tom wrote: »

Air freshners are a must,
but I'm all for.....
'hey buddy, there's a smell coming from your side of the office, you did shower today, didn't you?
there must be something dead in one of your pockets, get it sorted out over lunch, will ya?'

should do the trick...

I wish it could be that simple:(

Seriously, trust me, this is no medical condition. It's pure "don't give a sh1t" attitude.

Funnily enough, I've just heard from another colleague that there's been a formal complaint about him today for this.

I wish I could bag some of it and open it up for all of AH to smell:D

Hail 2 Da Chimp

Col200sx wrote: »

I wish I could bag some of it and open it up for all of AH to smell:D

Yeaayyyy, best Christmas present ever!

Homer

Sort of on topic...

Mate of mine was a line manager in a large multinational company that had a production line making product "x" we'll call it!

All the people on the production line were constantly giving out about a particular female colleague that apparently was stinkin...

So, they went to their manager and said they couldn't work beside her anymore the smell was that bad.

At the end of the shift he called her into the office to have a word about her personal hygiene and the complaints he'd been getting.

Turns out that she was being raped by a relative and thought that if she didn't wash it might put him off doing it..

What the fook do you say then?!!

I know it's not applicable necessarily in this case but you just never know eh..

smileysurfer

Col200sx wrote: »

I wish it could be that simple:(

Seriously, trust me, this is no medical condition. It's pure "don't give a sh1t" attitude.

Funnily enough, I've just heard from another colleague that there's been a formal complaint about him today for this.

I wish I could bag some of it and open it up for all of AH to smell:D

I was replying to betafrogwhen I mentioned the medical condition.

Id say the person in your story is just not bothered with showering though

Min

Give him a present for Christmas - soap, deodorant, shampoo and a scrub brush.....

Yawlboy

around 10 years ago I was working in London and one evening it was lashing rain as I was leaving the car park. Saw one of the developers heading for the bus stop and says me "jump in I'll drop you home." Bad mistake, the guy never showered, was feckin hugely fat and stank. I drove in rushhour traffic for 40mins with my window open in the lashing rain.

Apparently people kept telling him he stank and he ignored them. When he quit (rumor is he was sacked) about a year later he got deodorant off every one of the team he worked in.

Notorious

Hahaha I know of a boardsie who was just like that....

AnonoBoy

Notorious wrote: »

Hahaha I know of a boardsie who was just like that....

Hey. That hurts.

BOHtox

stovelid wrote: »

Perhaps something like Driclor or even botox might help.

Sure, I'll help

Cheap Thrills!

No point in pussyfooting around.

If someone has the jockeys b0ll0x to be coming in every day stenching then they have the b0ll0x to hear the truth.

Be direct. So what if his feelings are hurt, they NEED to be hurt.
(they won't be anyway, these people know they smell but just dont care)

Tell him he honks and sort it out.