Making Etiquette Easy: Handling Bad Hygiene "and other" Office Odors

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If you work in an office environment, you know about close-quarters with office mates. But this phrase takes on a whole new meaning when you throw in at least one employee who's hygiene and habits are not up to par. Maybe it's body odor, bad breath, heavy perfume or an overall disheveled look. Whatever the case, it can actually be distracting enough to lower the productivity in the office when the person is around. So what's a person to do in this situation?

• If you are a coworker, the best thing you can do is notify your boss politely and privately. Share your concerns about how it's affecting your work and possibly others'. If you're the boss, understand it's your responsibility to handle this situation. If you leave it up to others in the office, they might not be as politically correct which could lead to other problems.
• Don't play blind. If you recognize the smell, know that others do as well. Being proactive about something that is easily fixable is much better than bucking down and ignoring it.
• Be direct. Approach the person one-on-one in a non-confrontational and casual setting. Don't have a 'team meeting' to vaguely discuss hygiene with the office; offenders usually don't know they are in the wrong. The worst thing you can do is drop hints (i.e. giving them gum, toothpaste, etc.) without being fully honest.
• When you do approach the person, use phrases like, "This is a tough conversation to have" and "if it were me, I would want to be told." The key is to focus on the business aspect, not the personal nature of this complaint. Let them know it may be turning off clients or that there are just too many people in the office and every situation is magnified. Let them know that you are addressing this issue for their professional future and growth opportunities.
• Brevity is necessary. Don't linger on the subject. Once you're sure the offender "gets it," let them get back to work. Keep the conversation private and don't share any information with other employees.