Work Colleagues Deodorant/Cologne/Perfume

Littleonesunshine

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A work colleague sometimes wears strong smelling stuff. I can smell it as soon as I come into the office and it takes a while for the smell to go.

How best do I approach it?

In the past a female colleague said to him that her coat smelt of his perfume when she went home. There has also been the time when me and my boss commented on the strong smell of deodorant that kept on getting strong. We had to open the windows etc.

He doesn’t wear the deodorant every day but I have to put a tissue over my nose and breathe through my nose.

I am sensitive to smells but I don’t know if I can bring this up with my manager?

Dazed_and_confused

How best do I approach it?

Get on with your work. You'll soon forget all about it.

Les79

What does the employee handbook say about such things?

In my last place it was policy not to spray anything in the office itself or in the toilets, but not much in the way of spraying outside of the building.

Might be worth pointing out anything like that to your manager and seeing if they can have a quiet word with said colleague.

I would caution you that some people actually have medical conditions where they occasionally sweat profusely, and so the only option of dealing with it is to spray quite a bit. On the flip side, does anyone have anything like asthma or allergies(?) which are being triggered?

I think, if it happens occasionally and if it doesn't really affect you health-wise, I would probably just put up with it. If it is linked to hot weather then it should die down in a few months anyways!

Littleonesunshine

Hi Les.

There has been talk by other members of the team (they’ve worked there a lot longer than me) with regards to a no perfume (etc) policy in the office due to asthma and allergy etc. we aren’t allowed non approved spray toilet fresheners in the toilet for that reason.

It’s the fact that my female work colleague has made a comment to him and there has been the time when my boss was also affected.

He doesn’t have an issue with sweating or BO. He’s just using too much. He also enjoys perfume because there is a boss woman who occasionally comes to the office and he can smell her perfume and he likes it. I can’t smell her perfume and I sit on the other side of the table.

I think the issue is also due to men’s toiletries being stronger.

I have my one to one on Monday, I’m just a bit cautious of raising the issue as it might seem like I have an issue with this guy.

I’m very sensitive to smells sometimes. I have Viks at work and put it under my nose/on a tissue when work colleagues eat smelly food like tuna. I only seem to be the one affected and after X time it passes.

I do think deodorant is another issue as it provokes a stronger reaction to me. I don’t know if I’m allergic to it or not.

MovingForwards

It is a difficult one.

You say he doesn't have a medical problem. How do you know as not many people talk openly about health, especially very personal ones, at work.

I can't stand the smell of fish and have previously worked in offices were fish sarnies/jacket spuds/ salads were frequently eaten at lunchtimes; I would take breaks at the same time to avoid the smell ( it actually makes me gag) and have a fan set up to waft the smell away on my return.

I struggle with perfumes/body sprays / aftershave etc as they trigger migraines. In one job a workmate used to sit at her desk and spray herself in it. That soon got stopped when I explained why it made me ill and why I had suddenly gone home.

My last job one of my workmates came smothered in aftershave. I had a quiet word and he toned it down. He wore it, but not a whole bottle.

If you were allergic, you would know about it one way or another.

Do the decent thing and speak with the guy, ask him to tone it down and save it for outside of work/dates etc. Don't start talking about him in the office to other people as I doubt you would like it if someone did the same about something you do.

Littleonesunshine

There isn’t a medical condition that makes someone wear too much deodorant. There is a medical condition where they sweat too much or have BO despite washing regularly, but neither are him. He just sometimes wears too much.

Washing body daily, as well as clothes, will mean a person generally won’t smell of BO. Using heaps of spray isn’t necessary. It’s a very British thing to do, “spray in a can”.

I was asking should I bring it up with my boss - because I can’t breathe through my nose, it irritates me, gives me a headache and makes me non productive at work.

So yes I will.

Littleonesunshine

I don’t think it’s wise for me to ask my team to do stuff for me?

MovingForwards

Littleonesunshine wrote: »

There isn’t a medical condition that makes someone wear too much deodorant. There is a medical condition where they sweat too much or have BO despite washing regularly, but neither are him. He just sometimes wears too much.

Washing body daily, as well as clothes, will mean a person generally won’t smell of BO. Using heaps of spray isn’t necessary..

You still don't get it!

IF your colleague has a medical condition leading to excessive sweating then to hide it he would use loads of aftershave and deodorant to try and hide it / the smell.

Les79

Littleonesunshine wrote: »

There isn’t a medical condition that makes someone wear too much deodorant. There is a medical condition where they sweat too much or have BO despite washing regularly, but neither are him. He just sometimes wears too much.

Well, do you definitively know that? I imagine someone who occasionally sweats profusely wouldn't tell you.

Also, assuming a new employee started tomorrow with such a condition where does your mindset fit in with that?

You may be completely right about the guy, but there needs to be some balance when it comes to stuff like this.

What does your employee handbook say?

I was asking should I bring it up with my boss - because I can’t breathe through my nose, it irritates me, gives me a headache and makes me non productive at work.

So yes I will.

Yes, bring it up with your boss. It will be up to them to determine if there's a medical issue and how to deal with it fairly for you and the other person. Or to potentially enact some set of rules to keep everyone happy.

Marvel1

Littleonesunshine wrote: »

There isn’t a medical condition that makes someone wear too much deodorant. There is a medical condition where they sweat too much or have BO despite washing regularly, but neither are him. He just sometimes wears too much.

Washing body daily, as well as clothes, will mean a person generally won’t smell of BO. Using heaps of spray isn’t necessary. It’s a very British thing to do, “spray in a can”.

I was asking should I bring it up with my boss - because I can’t breathe through my nose, it irritates me, gives me a headache and makes me non productive at work.

So yes I will.

This really should have been in your first post.

Ja7188

It’s the fact that my female work colleague has made a comment to him and there has been the time when my boss was also affected.

What was the reaction to the comment and what did your boss do when he/ she was "affected"...?

Could a simple solution to the problem be for you to sit further away from the person in question?