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I have a new coworker seated in close proximity to me. He smells like he uses anti-deodorant. BO like you wouldn't believe.

He seems like a nice guy.

Is there a nice way to tell him that he stinks and needs to attend to his hygiene? I'd like to nip this in the bud, but I can't think of a nice way to do so.

Tell his/your supervisor. Assuming they have any experience at all they should be able to talk to him about it sensitively.

Wait until he goes to the bathroom and drop an anonymous note on his desk? Make sure it's too the point but as polite as such a thing can be, this way he doesn't think it's a rude joke.

Give them a potted plant to decorate their desk, when they leave replace it with a dead replica.


But really, supervisor should have the experience to help with this.

If you have a supervisor talk to them (it's is going to be part of their job)

but be aware that there are a few medical conditions that can cause this, (I once knew somebody with this http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/trimethylaminuria/Pages/Introduction.aspx and despite all he did to put it bluntly he stank) in which case you'll just have to put up with it

 jasper76 wrote:
I have a new coworker seated in close proximity to me. He smells like he uses anti-deodorant. BO like you wouldn't believe.

He seems like a nice guy.

Is there a nice way to tell him that he stinks and needs to attend to his hygiene? I'd like to nip this in the bud, but I can't think of a nice way to do so.

Get a can of Lysol. Spray him with it. Sorry thats about as nice as I get...

Before he comes in one day, fill his desk with bottles of deodorant. Completely.

In the middle of a conversation with them, ask them if they have smelled a strange odor in the office.

 OrlandotheTechnicoloured wrote:
If you have a supervisor talk to them (it's is going to be part of their job)

but be aware that there are a few medical conditions that can cause this, (I once knew somebody with this http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/trimethylaminuria/Pages/Introduction.aspx and despite all he did to put it bluntly he stank) in which case you'll just have to put up with it

Oh god that sucks.

As others have said it would be unwise to broach the subject yourself.

Supervisor. It's their job.

Some foods make you smell a specific way... sometimes that smell is bad to people. A lot of companies can't do much about controlling people's diets. And some people simply smell bad to some people. It has to do with genetic differences. Someone can smell horrid to one person and smell fine to someone else. And there is a difference between having a smell and being 'unclean'. Personally, I find the people who use too much perfume/cologne way more offensive in the office and we actually have policies against controllable stinks in the office.

You can talk to a supervisor or HR, and they may or may not do anything. And if you make a 'stink' about it, they may simply fire you to solve the problem.

Give him some deodorant as gift?

I went the supervisor route. My supervisor sai, "You're not the first to complain. I'll talk to him."

Thanks for the advice!