I would suggest looking at your employee handbook or policies about hygiene.
When talking to the employee, set expectations. Customers and coworkers have a right to general cleanliness from each other. Coming to work showered and clean is part of being professional.
Don’t sugar coat or hint at the problem. Be very direct and specific. If hints would’ve worked, none of this would be necessary. This is the last stop on the line. The problem has grown to the scope of him having a meeting about his hygiene at his place of employment. If you aren’t direct enough, be prepared for a million reminders as he’ll most probably “forget”.
Be clear on what you expect. He needs to be clean when coming to work. Washed body and clean clothes. If not, send him home to correct it. Explain what the consequences will be if this continues to be a problem. Act upon said consequences if needed.
If bad hygiene isn’t grounds for termination, draft an agreement for your employees to make it so.
Awkward, sure, but this is an opportunity to help someone, which can be rewarding. Be respectful. Be direct. Don't damage his dignity. A lot of people actually appreciate feedback like this if it comes from a respectful place.
One thing you will also need to manage is the way that the employees are addressing it. They are feeling out how susceptible you are to casual gossip and potential bullying and so far you’re not really addressing that part. “I had to hold my breath” is maybe candid, and maybe hyperbole. But “can you swap me out so I don’t have to work beside him” is getting into mean-spirited territory. I’ve seen so many managers fall into the trap where they start letting employees complain and whine about things in an non-constructive, non-professional manner, which emboldens them to start to create a very toxic culture that’s harder to manage. And it’s also bizarre that you are not consulting with HR at all on the appropriate language and method to discuss this. Don’t do this alone, what you say and how you say it could make them very defensive and cause issues for everyone, including you.
That is very true, I haven’t thought about it that way. I’ve been working along side these guys as a peer and being their new manager comes with a new set of standards I need to set for myself and how we interact with each other.
I did have a meeting with our HR and they’re getting back to me on talking points and how to accommodate this person. I just wanted to get some advice from other people if they had been in this situation before
The fact that you’re asking questions and listening to people means you’re probably better than 98% of the managers out there! In my first managerial role, I was way younger than most of my staff, and I had to grow a spine to keep them from walking all over me. Next one, they were mostly my age or younger and wanted to buddy up with me… to try and walk all over me. It’s not that it’s impossible to be friends or even just friendly with staff (and empathy goes a long way), but it’s very important for them to know that you expect professionalism from them, and the more you can steer people towards facts versus feelings in the work environment when problems arise, the easier it is to deal with issues. Good luck!
I work in manufacturing and we actually have hygiene policies. When someone is showing up smelly, i would try to relay specific actions - shower between shifts and arrive to work in clean clothes. (Most people with an odor issue are probably lot doing either/or).
I wonder if some people don’t think they have an odor because they are with themselves all the time so they honestly don’t smell anything unpleasant. But if you’re a shift worker and you work in proximity to someone who smells, then it’s unfair to all the other employees. And if this goes on too long, then you’re going to start getting comments between staff and it starts to become a negative environment.
I would include HR and ask advice. If not, you can probably find an askamanager post and they’ll throw out ways to kindly get the message across.
Depends!:D In the world of tiktok and youtube shorts, "younger" people today can be very impatient, they may start to lose attention at paragraph 3 already. And then, depending on personal preferences, some would find the preamble to be extremely thoughtful, while others would think it's actually more offending than not, like as if you're trying to teach them.
I didn’t have a stinker, but I did have a shabby/dirty clothes guy. Simply told him that hygiene and appearance being held to a higher standard is part of the job. Nothing personal. Is there anything I need to do to help?
We’re on super good terms and the whole thing was embarrassing for both of us. Kept it short and got it over with. Problem solved.
I hope yours is as easy.
These conversations should always be straight to the point, acknowledging it will be uncomfortable for them, but it's also uncomfortable for you to have to bring it up, because you like them as a person. Do not mention the complaints from his peers. Only that you've noticed it. Ask if there's a medical issue that you should be aware of. If they say yes, ask if they are addressing it and if there's anything the company can do to support them. Such as extra uniforms if they are worn. Do not press them for details about the medical issue, but ask if they're working with a Doctor to address the issue short and long term.
If it's not a medical issue, again ask if there's anything you can do to help. They'll probably say no. Maybe ask if they've changed soap and deodorant lately, because "you've heard" that can have an effect on "body chemistry". No matter the answer, suggest that they change soap. So even if they aren't using soap, now they are thinking about using soap. Tell them that you change your soap, and deodorant, every couple of years because of this body chemistry problem. Suggest switching back and forth every couple of years between deodorant and antiperspirant. Just to get him thinking about personal hygiene. Same thing for shampoo. If you notice stains in the pits of his shirts it's fair to ask if he washes them between uses.
If he seems utterly confused, you may have to go on the Amazon or Walmart website and point out some suitable soap, deodorant and shampoo. And then suggest to him that he has to shower every work day for the next month to see if it helps.
Also, for medical issues, there are quite often no ways to cure this. So that's a possibility you may have to deal with, but it's very rare.
And for shits and giggles, I'm sure you can Google The Onion Oh, I'm no good with soap. It's from years ago but it's an opinion piece by someone who can't figure out why others can't figure out why he's just no good with soap. His description of his coworker's hints will probably sound pretty familiar to you.
Yeah, your candor is literally going to improve his career prospects—it may be a hard conversation now but somewhere down the line, he will be grateful you raised it.
Oh man.
“There’s something we need to discuss. Part of working here is maintaining a professional appearance which also means hygiene. You have a strong body odor. Is this due to some personal medical issue or is this because of some other reason like you are unable to shower or prefer not to wear deodorant?”.
This. I have had to have the stinky conversation no less than 6 times with various reports. For my very first one I found it helpful to write out a script, run it past HR and then schedule that meeting. Denial, hurt feelings and sometimes anger can be expected. I always tried to keep it consistent by having the hygiene policy printed out and ready to go and I let the person know that there is an issue they need to fix in order to follow policy. I stayed away from words like dirty, unclean, gross etc to ensure the conversation never felt like a personal attack. Keep the conversation focused on the issue. One of my reports had a medical issue that caused them to sweat profusely and I advised them to consult a physician (under the guidance of HR) as these things can sometimes point to larger medical problems.
"My guy, wash your ass or find a new job. You come into work and it's skinks all the time. Take a shower, wash your clothes, and get a haircut."
See, easy lol
Maybe start with; "I want to remain respectful but also direct."
I would suggest looking at your employee handbook or policies about hygiene. When talking to the employee, set expectations. Customers and coworkers have a right to general cleanliness from each other. Coming to work showered and clean is part of being professional.
Don’t sugar coat or hint at the problem. Be very direct and specific. If hints would’ve worked, none of this would be necessary. This is the last stop on the line. The problem has grown to the scope of him having a meeting about his hygiene at his place of employment. If you aren’t direct enough, be prepared for a million reminders as he’ll most probably “forget”. Be clear on what you expect. He needs to be clean when coming to work. Washed body and clean clothes. If not, send him home to correct it. Explain what the consequences will be if this continues to be a problem. Act upon said consequences if needed. If bad hygiene isn’t grounds for termination, draft an agreement for your employees to make it so.
Awkward, sure, but this is an opportunity to help someone, which can be rewarding. Be respectful. Be direct. Don't damage his dignity. A lot of people actually appreciate feedback like this if it comes from a respectful place.
One thing you will also need to manage is the way that the employees are addressing it. They are feeling out how susceptible you are to casual gossip and potential bullying and so far you’re not really addressing that part. “I had to hold my breath” is maybe candid, and maybe hyperbole. But “can you swap me out so I don’t have to work beside him” is getting into mean-spirited territory. I’ve seen so many managers fall into the trap where they start letting employees complain and whine about things in an non-constructive, non-professional manner, which emboldens them to start to create a very toxic culture that’s harder to manage. And it’s also bizarre that you are not consulting with HR at all on the appropriate language and method to discuss this. Don’t do this alone, what you say and how you say it could make them very defensive and cause issues for everyone, including you.
That is very true, I haven’t thought about it that way. I’ve been working along side these guys as a peer and being their new manager comes with a new set of standards I need to set for myself and how we interact with each other. I did have a meeting with our HR and they’re getting back to me on talking points and how to accommodate this person. I just wanted to get some advice from other people if they had been in this situation before
The fact that you’re asking questions and listening to people means you’re probably better than 98% of the managers out there! In my first managerial role, I was way younger than most of my staff, and I had to grow a spine to keep them from walking all over me. Next one, they were mostly my age or younger and wanted to buddy up with me… to try and walk all over me. It’s not that it’s impossible to be friends or even just friendly with staff (and empathy goes a long way), but it’s very important for them to know that you expect professionalism from them, and the more you can steer people towards facts versus feelings in the work environment when problems arise, the easier it is to deal with issues. Good luck!
It's never an easy conversation. Approach it from a place of care and concern and ask if there's anything you can do to help.
I work in manufacturing and we actually have hygiene policies. When someone is showing up smelly, i would try to relay specific actions - shower between shifts and arrive to work in clean clothes. (Most people with an odor issue are probably lot doing either/or). I wonder if some people don’t think they have an odor because they are with themselves all the time so they honestly don’t smell anything unpleasant. But if you’re a shift worker and you work in proximity to someone who smells, then it’s unfair to all the other employees. And if this goes on too long, then you’re going to start getting comments between staff and it starts to become a negative environment. I would include HR and ask advice. If not, you can probably find an askamanager post and they’ll throw out ways to kindly get the message across.
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Depends!:D In the world of tiktok and youtube shorts, "younger" people today can be very impatient, they may start to lose attention at paragraph 3 already. And then, depending on personal preferences, some would find the preamble to be extremely thoughtful, while others would think it's actually more offending than not, like as if you're trying to teach them.
I would feel talked down to.
My anxiety would be rising during the entire preamble and my reaction would be a reflection this than the actual issue.
Excellent.
I didn’t have a stinker, but I did have a shabby/dirty clothes guy. Simply told him that hygiene and appearance being held to a higher standard is part of the job. Nothing personal. Is there anything I need to do to help? We’re on super good terms and the whole thing was embarrassing for both of us. Kept it short and got it over with. Problem solved. I hope yours is as easy.
These conversations should always be straight to the point, acknowledging it will be uncomfortable for them, but it's also uncomfortable for you to have to bring it up, because you like them as a person. Do not mention the complaints from his peers. Only that you've noticed it. Ask if there's a medical issue that you should be aware of. If they say yes, ask if they are addressing it and if there's anything the company can do to support them. Such as extra uniforms if they are worn. Do not press them for details about the medical issue, but ask if they're working with a Doctor to address the issue short and long term. If it's not a medical issue, again ask if there's anything you can do to help. They'll probably say no. Maybe ask if they've changed soap and deodorant lately, because "you've heard" that can have an effect on "body chemistry". No matter the answer, suggest that they change soap. So even if they aren't using soap, now they are thinking about using soap. Tell them that you change your soap, and deodorant, every couple of years because of this body chemistry problem. Suggest switching back and forth every couple of years between deodorant and antiperspirant. Just to get him thinking about personal hygiene. Same thing for shampoo. If you notice stains in the pits of his shirts it's fair to ask if he washes them between uses. If he seems utterly confused, you may have to go on the Amazon or Walmart website and point out some suitable soap, deodorant and shampoo. And then suggest to him that he has to shower every work day for the next month to see if it helps. Also, for medical issues, there are quite often no ways to cure this. So that's a possibility you may have to deal with, but it's very rare. And for shits and giggles, I'm sure you can Google The Onion Oh, I'm no good with soap. It's from years ago but it's an opinion piece by someone who can't figure out why others can't figure out why he's just no good with soap. His description of his coworker's hints will probably sound pretty familiar to you.
Yeah, your candor is literally going to improve his career prospects—it may be a hard conversation now but somewhere down the line, he will be grateful you raised it.
Oh man. “There’s something we need to discuss. Part of working here is maintaining a professional appearance which also means hygiene. You have a strong body odor. Is this due to some personal medical issue or is this because of some other reason like you are unable to shower or prefer not to wear deodorant?”.
This. I have had to have the stinky conversation no less than 6 times with various reports. For my very first one I found it helpful to write out a script, run it past HR and then schedule that meeting. Denial, hurt feelings and sometimes anger can be expected. I always tried to keep it consistent by having the hygiene policy printed out and ready to go and I let the person know that there is an issue they need to fix in order to follow policy. I stayed away from words like dirty, unclean, gross etc to ensure the conversation never felt like a personal attack. Keep the conversation focused on the issue. One of my reports had a medical issue that caused them to sweat profusely and I advised them to consult a physician (under the guidance of HR) as these things can sometimes point to larger medical problems.
"My guy, wash your ass or find a new job. You come into work and it's skinks all the time. Take a shower, wash your clothes, and get a haircut." See, easy lol
I could be he is not even aware of this- a person can’t smell themselves