Addressing personal hygiene issues at work
Scenario: Paula works in the business office and often has an offensive body odor that co-workers have complained about. As Paula’s manager, you decide it’s time to address the problem. You invite Paula to a private meeting, warning in advance that it’s about a sensitive topic.
At the meeting, you share that it has come to your attention that Paula emits a strong odor. You ask if Paula can come up with solutions to the problem or wants to go over some possibilities together.
Is this issue handled correctly? What do you think?
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Addressing personal hygiene issues at work: Answer
Answer: Yes. An employee with offensive body odor is surprisingly common, and it should be handled with sensitivity and privacy. Keep in mind, while it’s usually assumed an odor is caused by poor hygiene, that is not always the case. For example, it could be:
- Diet related,
- A product reacting badly with a person’s chemical makeup, or
- A reaction to medication.
Tread cautiously, because if the odor is caused by a medical condition, it may be a disability and fall under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This may require making an accommodation.
Also, some employees may not bathe or may eat different foods during certain religious holidays. If an odor is due to a religious practice, an employer has an obligation to accommodate the employee, so long as it does not unduly interfere with other employees’ rights or with the legitimate needs of the business.