Smelly

[Kirstyhev]

How do you tell someone they have bad B.O? Especially when this person happens to be the Managing Director of the company you work for? He is the most "powerful" one in the company and if we upset him he is most likely to make your life a living hell!! The only other person we can turn to to explain this problem would be the "lower" Director of the company which just so happens to be the best mate of the M.D and wold definately not say anything to upset him, so were stuck basically!! Surely people who have bad B.O can smell the sweat on themselves? It is myself and another woman who works for the company who have noticed the smell (we are the only two women in the company) what do we do??

[wendilla]

as you are the only 2 women in the company this may not be the solution to put some body spray on his desk worth a thought!

[theo_wyvern]

do you have an hr dept - speak to them - they usually do the 'smell talk'

[Kirstyhev]

no it is a very small company so theres basically just the MD and his best mate running the show- no departments to deal with any complaints basically!!

[andy-hughes]

If you can't approach the problem directly, try and bring the conversation round to the subject of deoderants - "I use so-and-so, which one do you use Fred?" If he says he doesn't use one - some men still think they are cissy, even in 2005! - say you really like a man to smell of (have a good brand name ready!) and hope he gets the hint. If not, buy him some for his birthday, otherwise there is little you can do, unless you start moaning about an unspecified smell, and spraying strong air freshener everywhere!

Some people just don;t notice that they smell, which is odd, but true, and dreadful for those around them my sympathy, hope you get it sorted.

[WendyS]

Valentines Day is coming up - perhaps a nice anonymous card accompanied by a can of classy male deodorant sent to his home address. Also, keep lots of aerosol air fresheners around the office and keep spraying them whenever he's around.

Or buy a really nice smelling deodorant and ask his opinion on the pretext that you're buying it for your dad, boyfriend, etc, making the comment that you find th aroma really sexy, erotic, etc.

Some people just don't realise they smell. The only other thing you might both try is start sniffing under your armpits when he's in the vicinity on the basis that you can smell sweat and are worried that it might be you. Hopefully he might take the hint if it's done often enough.

[Laura-sakura]

I think you should just be upfront and tell him. I had a friend who had this problem (he didnt smell at all by the way- but I think he wasnt paticularily like in the company) anyway, people went around dropping hints and spreading rumours and this upset him a lot, best just to be honest....but...I have no idea how you would tell him that, difficult one!

[Drusilla]

He probably doesn't realise he smells and if everybody avoids the issue, he will spend his life in ignorance and with an ever decreasing circle of friends.

It needs someone (not necessarily you) to arrange a private meeting about a personal issue. The brave person needs to stay polite and explain the situation, preferably with reference to the possibility of losing potential clients. If your boss is a decent man, he will be embarrassed, but thankful. If he behaves rudely or dismissively, he merely shows his lack of professionalism and deserves to lose business.

Assuming you're as cowardly as I would be in the same situation, I suggest you hire one of those aeroplanes that carries a banner with the message,
'So and so stinks like rancid pants!'
and fly it over the office a couple of times.

[joko]

buy loads of air fresheners - sprays, gells, block and put them all over the office. if he asks why just say 'sometimes there is a horrid smell about'

what about approaching his wife??

[Drisgirl]

'Has anyone noticed a musty smell in here recently?Do you think there is something wrong with the ventilation,plumbing whatever.Any chance you can have a look into it cos its a bit unpleasant Boss!!' Cheers!

[hopalong]

What you could do is when he is close to you is to blame it on each other then he may have a sniff at himself and realise its him that is smelling

[Fish Kid]

Open an anonymous hotmail account, send him an email with the link to this thread.

It is actually something you can go to HR with, but seeing as he is the MD he can probably find out who raised the complaint and have you sacked :-)

[jno]

sensible answer from Fish Kid, I'd say the same but without the link to this thread (because it identifies you too clearly). Just say 'I work with you, I don't dare say this to your face, but you have a bad BO problem.' (I do think you should make it clear you work with him, otherwise he might disregard the letter as just spam.)

[tiger104]

How about posting a note in the internal mail, anonymously, know-one will know whos posted it at all then, just an envelope with HR address and your typed note........

No trace of who has complained then.

My mum worked in a residential home and one of the women collegue smelt the same, and lots of folk were complaining, in the end, she had to be told, politley....and it worked.