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Odors Feedback Atmosphere

We have a visitor to our office once a week. The man is a physician, about the same level as our director. The problem is that he has horrible body odor, dirty clothing, and filthy hands. When he visits, all of us leave our work areas and get nothing done while he is here. How can we tell him that he stinks?



Many people believe that certain aspects of their jobs stink, and this is literally the case in your situation. While body odor can be a reflection of such factors as a person's diet, health, medicinal intake, or stress, it can also reflect a lack of familiarity with a bar of soap.

There are work situations where dirty clothing and hands, and the gamy odors that accompany them, are common and normal. However, that does not typically apply to a physician who appears to have arrived in your office by way of a toxic landfill.

If you sense that you are able to communicate with this individual, you should meet with him in private and tell him that you and your associates are concerned about him. Let him know that you understand how hard he must be working, but as a professional colleague it would be unfair if you did not give him this feedback. Be brief and specific in describing the situation, and be sure to avoid any criticism.

The other option is to ask your director to speak with him. In fact, one has to wonder what the director is doing about a staff evacuation every time this visitor arrives. It is possible that the director's managerial skills are rather stale as well.



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