Smelly temp

PolishBigSpender

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Sadly that's not necessarily going to solve the problem: if the person says that they are bathing and using deodorants, it could be construed as bullying if people make comments like this.

It shows the difference in culture really - in Poland, I could quite legally and acceptably tell someone that unless they sort out their odour problems, they won't have a job tomorrow. I can be as rude as I like, and there is very little chance of comeback - any employment tribunal or court would see it as completely fair.

But in the UK, I wouldn't dare - the laws are so much stricter and well defined that such an approach just wouldn't work. I'm just not familiar enough with the latest best practice to be able to advise - however, my approach in the UK would have been to simply inform the agency. It seems the easiest option - and I imagine recruitment agencies at the minute are desperate enough to be quite happy to tell someone to sort out their smells.

Ha! We tried that, using the ones which are supposed to be unperfumed (I loathe and detest scented air fresheners!) but just absorb nasty smells. Afer half a day someone else went sick, complaining that the air fresheners were giving her a headache.

I can imagine, I don't particularly like them either. They're fine and well when the windows are open in summer - but given that there's snow outside now and the windows are firmly closed, they'd just send everyone else home sick

BuddyBonthenet

I have been in this situation as a manager when staff where complaining about someone's BO. The person involved wasn't my member of staff but my manager asked me to handle it.

The way I tackled it was to tell them that if I had a similar problem I would hope that someone would have the courage and decency to tell me so that I could do something about it. Naturally the person was mortified but the problem was solved immediately and we acted like we'd never had the conversation and things settled down. It wasn't easy and that's how I'd do it again if I ever had to.

cazziebo

Ex agency manager speaking...

It's the agency's role and responsibility do deal with this, not the client company's. LV is right - this is exactly the kind of example that is used to prove who has employer liabilities. As a client you organise workflow, the employer (agency) manages the agency worker's employment (hiring, termination, performance management, counselling)

Agency consultants will be well used to dealing with this kind of situation, and moreover, will be delighted you escalated to them to enable them to deal with it, rather than just terminate the temporary contract.

redz

satans_wifey wrote: »

Tell the dirty git to wash his smelly pits

What if it transpires that the person's body odour is due to them suffering Kidney Disease, Diabetes or some of the many other illnesses where body odour is a symptom and not due to the person's poor personal hygiene?

Tact and discretion are the key to handling this type of situation.

cazziebo

redz wrote: »

What if it transpires that the person's body odour is due to them suffering Kidney Disease, Diabetes or some of the many other illnesses where body odour is a symptom and not due to the person's poor personal hygiene?

Tact and discretion are the key to handling this type of situation.

And as a client, you certainly don't want an agency worker trying to raise a grievance procedure because it's been mishandled....

3plus1

VfM4meplse wrote: »

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.

The agency are not going to replace him with another temp if that's not what you want. If you explain that you specifically want this temp to complete the assignment but that you want them to sort out his odour problem, they'll sort it.

They're not calling the shots - you are. You're paying them.

Good luck!

VfM4meplse

redz wrote: »

some of the many other illnesses where body odour is a symptom and not due to the person's poor personal hygiene?

Actually I'm pretty certain this is the case - which is again part of the reason I initially wanted to deal with it myself (I can offer practical advice). The problem is that me heaving over my desk doesn't help anyone either.

GrammarGirl

Toots wrote: »

I once had to deal with a similar problem except the worker concerned was a permanent member of staff. A number of her colleagues had joined together to tell me that something had to be done about a young lady who smelt of sweat. She was a lovely girl and a very good worker and I felt so bad about having to deal with it. I was fairly new to being a Supervisor and went to my boss to see if he would handle it but he told me he couldn't deal with it because he was a man!

I had to take the bull by the horns. I had a meeting with her which I planned for shortly before home time so that if she was upset she would be able to go straight home and hopefully get any hurt out of her system before returning the next day. I commended her first for her standard of work and told her that I unfortunately had to talk to her about a very delicate matter of personal hygiene. She was absolutely mortified and insisted that she regularly washed and changed her clothes. (I think the problem was that she did not use anti-perspirants and that she wore thick jumpers in the cold weather). She broke down in tears and was very distressed and she asked me who had complained. I decided it best to tell her it was something that I had noticed myself and had brought it to her attention so that she could address the problem before anyone else noticed. I told her that I didn't want to upset her and to please not do anything silly like not turn up again. Fortunately she did come back although our relationship was a little strained for a few days and she did resolve the problem but this is probably the worst thing I have had to do in my working life and I hope not to ever have to do such a thing again. I cried myself when I got home and probably felt just as bad as she did about it.

It's a very difficult situation and I don't envy anyone having to deal with it.

On the other hand we had a chap who worked in our warehouse who was a nice guy but absolutely reeked of sweat every day. The Supervisor dealt with it by saying "Dave...you f***ing stink" and he dealt with it by saying "So, what?" and that situation was never resolved.

How lovely are you?! That's a great way to deal with this kind of thing, and I think the only way to really get through to someone without seriously damaging their self-esteem. Well done for being so diplomatic and kind about it. I'm sure she smells fragrant now and thanks you for it!

KME91

LittleVoice wrote: »

It's not being a chicken to get the agency to do their work. And you really don't want to be treating this person as you would an employee. As I wrote above, if you do that you leave yourself open to having created an employee rather than an agency worker. He would then have employment rights.

This is simply not true. the only way you create an employee out of an agency worker is by offering them a job. they are employed by the agency, end of.

Scousebird_2

satans_wifey wrote: »

Tell the dirty git to wash his smelly pits

If only we could be so direct in the working world lol!