How to Work With a Person Who Has Body Odor

Co-authored by Tami Claytor

Last Updated: July 6, 2022 References

The human body's sense of smell is exceptionally powerful. A pleasant aroma can lift one's mood, while an unpleasant smell can be offensive and make it hard for people to concentrate. Body odor is the smell that is naturally produced by one's own body, which some people or cultures find unpleasant. Offensive odor can also be caused by a person using too much perfume or cologne. Oftentimes people don’t realize when their smell is offensive to other people, and it can be a very sensitive topic to bring up. Since a coworker's smell can disrupt your work productivity, it is important to know how to work with a person whose odor is offensive while maintaining proper behavior and work etiquette.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Dropping Hints

1
Pretend that you have body odor. A non-confrontational way to bring this issue up with the person is to act as if you have this problem yourself. This is a great way to bring up the subject of body odor with someone, especially if you don’t know them well. Bringing it up in this way will make them think about their own smells, which may make them realize they’re a little stinky.^{[1]
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Research source} Try saying something like:
- “I’m so sorry if I smell a little; I went for a run during lunch and didn’t have time to reapply deodorant.”
- “Do you think the office is hot today? It’s making me sweat, and I feel like I’m a bit smelly.”
- “I’m sorry if you can smell my feet; it’s was raining outside when I was running errands and my shoes and socks are soaked.”
2
Deflect the situation onto yourself. Another non-confrontational solution is to take the blame. Since it can be uncomfortable to tell a person that they smell bad, it can be easier to say you have allergies to certain odors. This way you can plant the seed in their head that maybe they do have an offensive odor without actually saying anything. To deflect the issue onto yourself, try saying something like:^{[2]
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- “What type of perfume are you wearing? I’m allergic to most perfumes, which makes me too sensitive to wear even a little bit of it.”
- “I have such a sensitive nose that I can only use a little cologne. It’s like an allergy; even one spray makes me sneeze!”
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3
Decorate your work space with pleasant smelling items. If your workplace allows you to bring in scented candles or air fresheners, try keeping them at your desk to see if this helps with the smell. You could use unlit candles, flowers, or potpourri. If they ask why you brought it, you can say, “I feel like it just sort of smells in the office lately, so I thought I’d perk my area up.” Some plants with pleasant odors include:^{[3]
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- Lavender
- Jasmine
- Lilies
- Chamomile plant
- Geraniums
4
Exercise good hygiene when you’re with them. Another way to hint at a person’s body odor is to subtly remind them of good hygiene habits. If you practice good hygiene in front of them, they may start questioning their own habits. Try showing them good habits by:^{[4]
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- Talking about how you always have mouthwash and deodorant in your desk because you get so anxious about your odor before meetings.
- Offering them some of your cologne or perfume by saying, “You’ve got to try this, it smells so good!” and handing them the product.
- Offering them scented hand sanitizer or lotion after a meal saying, “I just hate when my hands smell like onions all day!”
5
Limit the amount of time you spend with them. If none of your hints are helping with the person’s odor, and you don’t want to confront them about it, just try to avoid them as much as possible. This is really only an option if the person does not work in your immediate location or you don’t have to see them often throughout the day. Otherwise, avoiding them will come across as rude.^{[5]
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- If you can avoid them without issue, this is a good way to sidestep their body odor without having to take any additional action.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Being Direct

1
Avoid gossiping about the coworker's body odor. When you have to deal with something that involves constant invasion of your senses, like body odor, you may feel an urge to vent your frustration with other coworkers. However, try your best to not bring the problem up with others, especially if you are planning to speak with them directly. Gossiping about the problem could make you seem mean and cruel to your coworkers.^{[6]
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- Office gossip travels fast. The offending coworker could hear that you were speaking unkindly about them, and any attempt to speak with them about the issue later will seem disingenuous.
2
Consider how close you are to the person. In general, the closer you are to the person, the more direct you can be. If the offending person is a close work friend, being direct is a great strategy; however, if the person is a superior or a client, bringing this up may be inappropriate. In this instance, the most appropriate course of action would be to either drop hints first or go straight to Human Resources to help you.^{[7]
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- If they are not a superior or client and you do have a friendly relationship with them, it would be appropriate for you to tell them directly.
3
Talk to the person about their odor in private. No matter how nice you say it, bringing up bad body odor will be uncomfortable. The other person will most likely be embarrassed, so waiting to talk to them in a private setting is very important. It is a kind gesture that makes you seem respectful, and it creates a space where the person may feel comfortable explaining their odor. Some tips to initiate the private conversation:^{[8]
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- Invite your colleague out for coffee or lunch to get them alone and away from the office.
- Ask the person to take a walk with you to relieve some stress after a long meeting.
- If you can’t talk to the person in complete privacy, be sure to at least pull him/her aside where others can’t hear. Make sure to pull them aside subtly, and don’t draw attention to yourselves.
4
Let them know gently. It is important to understand the distinction between being direct and being insensitive. In order to be direct without being unkind, don’t tease them or use judgmental language. Don’t prolong the conversation with a long explanation. Just get to the point quickly. Some compassionate conversation starters include:^{[9]
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- “I want to discuss something that’s awkward, and I hope I don’t offend you. You’ve had a noticeable body odor lately, and since this is the kind of thing people often don’t realize about themselves, I wanted to bring it to your attention.”
- “It’s been so hot lately that sometimes, despite proper cleanliness, the heat causes occasional body odor. I’ve noticed, only once or twice, that you’ve suffered from this recently, and I wanted to tell you in order to avoid any future embarrassment.”
- “I wanted to meet with you one-on-one because I need to share something with you privately, discreetly, and with as much sensitivity as possible. You may not realize it, but it appears you have a bit of a body odor problem.”
5
End the discussion on a positive note. After discussing the issue, it’s pretty likely you will both feel a little awkward and embarrassed. End the conversation positively by letting them know you are glad you talked, and invite them to do the same for you if you ever need it. You can even offer some suggestions to help them fix the problem, like buying a desk fan to combat the office heat or suggesting a brand of deodorant you love.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Telling the Person Anonymously

1
Leave an anonymous note. If you are afraid to tell the person, the least confrontational way of letting them know would be to leave an anonymous note on their desk. One drawback with this method is that it might cause the person to try to figure out who sent the note in the first place. Just make sure to word the note as kindly as possible, and avoid any language that could give you away.^{[11]
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Trustworthy Source
Go Ask Alice
Medical advice site with content written by health promotion specialists affiliated with Columbia University
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- Type the note—don’t handwrite it. They may be able to identify your handwriting in the future.
- Place the note somewhere where no one else could accidentally come across it, as this will embarrass the person unnecessarily.
2
Secretly give them a fresh kit. Leaving a kit with some refreshing products is a great way to anonymously let the person know that there is a problem with their body odor. Include things like mouthwash, deodorant, scented lotion, or wet wipes in a caddy or gift box, and make it look nice so it seems more like a gift than a mandate.^{[12]
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Trustworthy Source
Go Ask Alice
Medical advice site with content written by health promotion specialists affiliated with Columbia University
Go to source}
- Leave the fresh kit in their gym locker, on their desk, or somewhere where they can find it in private.
3
Send an anonymous email. Bad body odor is such a common problem in office settings that there are many sites that send someone an anonymous email for you. By filling out a few fields, the sites send an email explaining to the person that they have body odor, and some sites even include tips for managing body odor. Try one of these sites or look one up yourself:
- http://www.smell-well.net/us/odor-issue
- http://www.nooffenseoranything.com/bodyodor.html
4
Speak to the Human Resources department. If the offending person is your superior or you have tried other methods of telling them without success, you should go to the HR department at your work. Whether the body odor is unavoidable due to a medical condition or the coworker is unwilling to do anything about it, the HR department will handle it in a way that appeases both of you.^{[13]
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- HR may talk to them for you, or move their desk so you don’t have to deal with it anymore.
- Alternatively, HR may choose to talk about it in general terms during a meeting. For example, if it is about perfume, they can mention that sometimes people put on too much perfume and recommend to use just a little bit after the morning shower.