Smelly temp

VfM4meplse

I have hired a temp recently who is perfectly competent but OMG does he honk, and after the second week of suffering this I am starting to feel quite ill. If I look at the situation impartially the bottom line is my efficiency is heading towards zero and the organisation suffers. What puts me off finding another temp is the level of detailed work that needs to be done and the fact that I don't wish to invest any more time in training someone else to do the work. I am expecting a permament member of staff to start in the new financial year but I don't think I can cope with this situation for the next 6 weeks.

I can appreciate all the pros and cons of tolerating the situation vs starting again but what would be really useful is advice from someone who has actually been in the same situation and resolved it themselves (ie got rid of the smell and not the person) without resorting to the agency or causing any offence to the individual concerned. I know my strengths and unfortunately diplomacy is not one of them!

ekkygirl

Tell him, kindly, but tell him. "We are really pleased with you work you have picked it up quickly, There is a small matter of hygiene that we need to discuss, this is a small office and we are working closely together. If time is an issue you could start later so you can shower every morning and then stay later in the evening. I really think you are the right temp for the job blah blah......" S++t sandwich good comment bad comment good comment. Don't apologise for having to say something, its his problem and unless he fixes it, its about to get worse

VfM4meplse

That's a standard feedback approach but have you actually applied this to a similar situation?

Oblivion

As a manager of many staff in my time, I've encountered this problem on several occasions. I'm afraid there really is only one approach and that is to take the person to one side and explain to them in plain language ... don't beat about the bush resorting to euphamisms ... that their body odour is offensive and they need to address the problem if they wish to continue working for you.

In many cases I found that the individual didn't realise they were causing a problem and were really quite grateful to me for pointing it out. After all, it just might explain to him why he never seems to get a girlfriend.

Dave.

whitewing

I've known of a smelly person who has been sent home on a number of occasions to have a shower and change of clothes. To my knowledge he is still at the company and other staff are still refusing to sit near him.

Why are you so against telling the agency to deal with it. They will be having a good rate from him working there so it's in their interests to make it work too. It also means he has the discussion away from your site which may be more comfortable for the person. Or you could go to the agency and discuss it there with him and the agency rep.

LittleVoice

Don't tell him!

Tell the agency. They must be the people to deal with this. If you start treating him like an employee, he will become one.

ekkygirl

VfM4meplse wrote: »

That's a standard feedback approach but have you actually applied this to a similar situation?

Yes a couple of times, I couldn't comment otherwise. I don't like to but sometimes it has to be done for the other staff/housemates. I can't imagine he doesnt know, I bet he doesn't realise how bad it is

annie_d

I have encountered a similar problem with an employee ( bad breath ). I contacted the agency and explained the problem to them ensuring they knew it absolutely was not a complaint about the person's work.
I do't know how they approached the problem but it was solved within 48 hours.

VfM4meplse

whitewing wrote: »

Why are you so against telling the agency to deal with it.

Because I think discussing the specifics of the case with a known third party is disrespectful to the individual and the chicken's way out. Also if I'm honest because I think their solution may be to pull the temp and replace with another which is not the best use of my time.

WEEGIE

VfM4meplse wrote: »

I have hired a temp recently who is perfectly competent but OMG does he honk, and after the second week of suffering this I am starting to feel quite ill. If I look at the situation impartially the bottom line is my efficiency is heading towards zero and the organisation suffers. What puts me off finding another temp is the level of detailed work that needs to be done and the fact that I don't wish to invest any more time in training someone else to do the work. I am expecting a permament member of staff to start in the new financial year but I don't think I can cope with this situation for the next 6 weeks.

I can appreciate all the pros and cons of tolerating the situation vs starting again but what would be really useful is advice from someone who has actually been in the same situation and resolved it themselves (ie got rid of the smell and not the person) without resorting to the agency or causing any offence to the individual concerned. I know my strengths and unfortunately diplomacy is not one of them!

We had a problem with a female who had really bad odour in a place I worked in in Glasgow, we got round the problem by suggesting that at the end of the month buy a small gift put it in a box and have a lucky dip, by good luck everyone had bought a smellie(talc,soap, deodorant etc) but unfortunately it didn't work, all it succeeded in doing was to prove that if someone won't make an effort with their hygene you can't make them,no matter how subtle or diplomatic you are.In the end, management had a wee word with her but it didn't work either. You could try the lucky dip solution and see if it works. good luck

poet123

If tact and diplomacy are not your strong suit then it is best left to a 3rd party. I have had to deal with this siutation on a couple of occasions and it does demand those attributes,there are ways of putting it so that the message is conveyed without causing (too much)offence.