“A junior member of staff in my company has noticeably unpleasant BO. What is the best way to tackle this without making them feel awkward or ashamed?” 

This is a tricky situation from everyone’s point of view. If you ignore the problem, you run the risk of other colleagues becoming intolerant which could escalate into a bullying scenario within the team. It’s possible this junior might not even be aware of their poor hygiene problem. While confronting the issue may feel cringeworthy and embarrassing, it is the kindest solution for everyone concerned.

The ideal next move is for a quiet conversation to take place between the unhygienic colleague and someone who’s not part of the same team. This way, the maximum confidentiality can be maintained and the junior colleague won’t feel as bad as being humiliated by someone who sits next to them. Hopefully this will protect them from the shame of being at the centre of other people’s gossip. 

You should talk to your HR team first. They are ideally placed to handle it and are trained for this kind of confidential encounter. They should be skilled at doing it with minimum offence and maximum sensitivity. HR training encourages pragmatism and coolness in a crisis. That approach should help this junior colleague find a solution to the problem while being assured that, once it’s corrected, it is something that won’t affect their future within the company.

If the HR option is not one that’s available to you, then the next best person to deal with such a problem is the line manager. I worked in an office once where exactly this scenario occurred. I was pretty junior myself at the time so was not privy to the innermost details of the sensitive conversation but the line manager definitely had a private word with my malodorous colleague and pretty soon the rest of us were aware that our office had suddenly become much sweeter smelling. The problem never recurred and never got mentioned again.     

If you are the line manager in question, then I would suggest that you arrange a meeting with the junior, suggesting that you want to discuss their ongoing performance and career progress. I am encouraged to hear that you are keen to minimise their shame and awkwardness. It would help if the body odour issue is not the only thing discussed as that would give the problem disproportionate emphasis. Before you get to the delicate matter, give any positive feedback you have about their work and how you see them progressing to the next stage. Then just before you close the meeting, say something like, “I have noticed an unfortunate whiff of body odour from you and your clothing recently and wondered if you were having some challenges that might be causing it?” Hold your nerve and stay silent, giving them the time and mental space to respond as they will be feeling embarrassed and perhaps a little dumbstruck.

Being direct in your language is key, as is staying calm and practical. It may sound bizarre but you need to establish how often they wash themselves and their clothes. Hopefully, with patience and a caring attitude, you can gently coax some sort of explanation from them and lead them towards a solution. Reassure them that the conversation is completely confidential and once the problem is dealt with, you need never have to refer to it again. 

In fairness to you and your other colleagues, working within a foul-smelling environment is not something you should be subjected to. But it would be kindest for all involved to appreciate that there could be a genuinely difficult medical or personal reason. Once you get the necessary reassurance that the problem is being handled, try to move on and encourage your junior colleague in as many ways as you can. 

Images: Getty