No Offense, But You Smell:

Old Saybrook, CT - Telling a co-worker that he or she has offensive body odor is not a pleasant job for anyone ñ but as the guardians of all things having to do with people, itís usually the human resource professional who gets stuck with this uncomfortable task.

HR.BLR.com (ìState HR Answers and Tools Onlineî) asked human resource managers in an online poll: ìHave you ever had to confront an employee about body odor?î Of the 633 participants, 74 percent said yes; 26 percent said no. The poll was conducted March 24-31.

ìWhen our subscribers pose HR policy questions to us, itís striking how often they ask for guidance on how to deal with this issue,î said HR.BLR.com Managing Web Editor Kevin Flood. ìThey need to address something thatís disrupting the workplace, but they also want to do it with a minimum of embarrassment ñ to themselves, and to the employee.î

While there is no ìrulebookî for confronting an odorous employee, HR.BLR.com offers these tips to employers:

You must talk to the employee ñ not leave an anonymous note or a can of deodorant on his desk. Just hold the conversation privately, discreetly, and with as much sensitivity as possible.

Realize that diet or a medical condition might be responsible for the problem. You might suggest, therefore, that the employee visit a doctor. You might also bring the company nurse into the conversation, if you have one.

Stress that this isnít merely a personal matter ñ itís a workplace disruption that must be dealt with.

Donít be upset if the employee, out of embarrassment, seeks to end the conversation as soon as possible. Just schedule a follow-up meeting in a few days to make sure the problem is being resolved.

Ultimately, making one employee uncomfortable now will help to retain others. For more tips on retention, download ì99 Ways to Manage Employees,î a free special report from Business and Legal Reports: