smelly coworker

[piggity]

One of the guys I'm managing has bad B.O. Basically, anyone who gets within 3-4 feet of him can smell him, and he STINKS. I've received numerous complaints about him from other coworkers. Is there anything I should/can do as his manager?

http://www.allstarz.org/davidletterman/dave900.jpg

[kipin]

Read the handbook.

[Shajen]

basically just flat out tell him. If you try to sugarcoat it, you'll end up either embarrassing yourself or him.

Just tell him "Hey, so and so has brought it to my attention that you don't wash your ass. You should consider washing it"

That should get the job done.

[DMBFan23]

shajen,

no crop duster recommendation?

[Shajen]

DMB, I'm off my game. Really [censored] day today.

Hell yes, crop dust the skin of this douche's bones.

I could never tell him that personally. I think thats rude. Then again, you arent really trying to be. Arg. IDK, tough spot.

[codewarrior]

My old boss purchased a stick of deodorant, and left it in the middle of a guys desk. He got the message.

[Gunny Highway]

I have an uncle that smells. My granddad used to greet him at the front door with a can of Lysol.

I'm sure Halmark has a card that will fit.


Dear Smelly co-worker

You stink.

Not in the roses way either.

Love,
The people around you

[ QUOTE ]
One of the guys I'm managing has bad B.O. Basically, anyone who gets within 3-4 feet of him can smell him, and he STINKS. I've received numerous complaints about him from other coworkers. Is there anything I should/can do as his manager?

[/ QUOTE ]

Simple; you're a manager, so manage. Take him aside, and tell him point blank. Tell him it's bad for morale, and reflects poorly on both of you. And this is key: assuming he is otherwise a valuable employee, preface your statement by making sure he knows that.

[chucksim]

[ QUOTE ]
One of the guys I'm managing has bad B.O. Basically, anyone who gets within 3-4 feet of him can smell him, and he STINKS. I've received numerous complaints about him from other coworkers. Is there anything I should/can do as his manager?

[/ QUOTE ]

I had this experience a few years ago. Guy smelled so bad if he was standing on the ground floor, the stench went up the elevator shaft to the second floor.

His manager went and talked to him straight out. Sure beat beating around the bush. Unfortunately, it didn't help. He swore he did all he could to de-stink himself, to no avail. We were ready to put him in the back of a pickup truck and run him through the car wash when he finally found another job.

It's probably the stench of despair. You smell it on old people a lot. Everyone acquires the stench eventually. Some people are more sensitive to it and start smelling when they're younger. It's the inevitable result of years of impotence in the face of treachery, stupidity, dishonesty, sadism, etc. You won't have to worry about it much longer anyway.

[Reef]

stick a bottle of deoderant on his desk before he gets in to work tomorrow with a sticky note, "please use this, /images/graemlins/heart.gif everyone"

[tonypaladino]

An anonymous stick of deoderant on the desk has been known to work well in these situations.

However, since you are his manager, and employees have compained to you, you should take action and privatly tell the person. You need to demostrate that you are capable of strong leadership and taking care of a problem.

[Roland19]

SIIHP

[zephed]

Ugh, I had a coworker once who smelled like ass. She was incredibly obese, I don't think she was capable of wiping her ass. It's terrifying to think about.

[ QUOTE ]
SIIHP

[/ QUOTE ]
How about no.

does he play poker live in casinos? that may be where he picked up the habit....

[CollinEstes]

I think the obvious solution is for you to PM his email to one of the meaner OOT members and have them email the guy telling him that he smells like a 3 week old dead hooker's vagina in a pile of garbage.

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
I think the obvious solution is for you to PM his email to one of the meaner OOT members and have them email the guy telling him that he smells like a 3 week old dead hooker's vagina in a pile of garbage.

[/ QUOTE ]

Excellent. I volunteer.

[B Dids]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
One of the guys I'm managing has bad B.O. Basically, anyone who gets within 3-4 feet of him can smell him, and he STINKS. I've received numerous complaints about him from other coworkers. Is there anything I should/can do as his manager?

[/ QUOTE ]

Simple; you're a manager, so manage. Take him aside, and tell him point blank. Tell him it's bad for morale, and reflects poorly on both of you. And this is key: assuming he is otherwise a valuable employee, preface your statement by making sure he knows that.

[/ QUOTE ]

Bingo.

This is called "your job".

[vexvelour]

Since saying it face to face is embarassing for both of you, write him a private letter or email stating that you and others have noticed that he doesn't smell good and to take a shower ASAP. Then add some BS about how you're trying to provide a clean enivronment in the workplace. I think thats the easiest way to get the deed done.

[B Dids]

You're the boss, you need to be able to do things like this in a way that isn't passive/agressive. Be honest, be fair, be direct.

[ QUOTE ]
You're the boss, you need to be able to do things like this in a way that isn't passive/agressive. Be honest, be fair, be direct.

[/ QUOTE ]

wait, wait, WAIT. if i'm not mistaken, you also have an employee that stinks pretty badly, but the best you can do is complain about it to everyone but him.

[B Dids]

I wouldn't say that he stinks to the extent that this person does. Nobody has complained about me to him in any official manner.

Plus it's winter and he doesn't get rank until summer.