topic Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker in Wellness

Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

ciao_bella — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 20:53:47 GMT

I am an elementary school teacher and thankfully school is out and this issue is now on the back-burner until September when school starts again.. Here is the issue: A coworker apparently doesn't wear deodorant or if she does, it's certainly not working. It's hard to get within a few feet of her. Her clothes are clean and she's a very neat, nice person, with the exception of the underarm problem. No one wants to embarrass her or hurt her feelings by saying something. Is there a way of letting her know to please use deodorant. No one seems willing to say something..and I don't feel I can either. Any suggestions for this touchy subject?

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

qualitygal — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 20:56:51 GMT

Your principal needs to speak up. The teacher may have an allergy to deodorants, and needs to see a doctor for help in that area if that is the case. But fellow teachers shouldn't be put in that position. Ask your principal to step up and tend to that. He/she may have to deal with that issue down the road from a parent re this teacher. JMHO

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

lunamarz_31 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 20:59:26 GMT

Please contact your HR dept, or someone in a neutral position, that will allow you to address the issue anonymously. It will be a touchy subject to discuss no matter who brings it up , but coming from an HR person, it will lessen the awkwardness that comes up between the co-workers who interact on a regular basis.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

Goldengate8361 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:00:51 GMT

This is not an uncommon issue in organizations. If it must be addressed, your HR department would be the appropriate source to address the issue with him/her.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

Mmsfoxxie — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:02:13 GMT

The principal would be the best person to talk to her. When school starts again, when all the staff mtgs begin, before the kids come, your principal should talk to her.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

bells4me — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:02:14 GMT

What the others said.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

GSPgirl — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:03:35 GMT

Are you sure she doesn't have acid reflux? I am a teacher and we have had two children who have had this and they always smell of onions even though they didn't consume them. The principal or VP need to do something.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

lovesrecess — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 21:13:52 GMT

I would ask the school nurse to address the problem from a medical perspective; our school nurse is great and is not afraid to approach any of us if she thinks there is an issue; she even busted one of the coaches for not brushing his teeth often enough; it is only a matter of time before a student says something to her.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

ciao_bella — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:31:54 GMT

Thank you for the responses. Unfortunately, our principal isn't the type who would approach the subject with her, but I like the idea of the nurse. Our nurse is fantastic, like yours lovesrecess. I should have also mentioned that this person's culture, doesn't seem to recognize deodorant as a means to control underarm odor.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

beach-mom — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:36:01 GMT

On 6/29/2014 lovesrecess said:
I would ask the school nurse to address the problem from a medical perspective; our school nurse is great and is not afraid to approach any of us if she thinks there is an issue; she even busted one of the coaches for not brushing his teeth often enough; it is only a matter of time before a student says something to her.

I like this too. In schools we don't have an HR rep. I probably wouldn't approach the principal or assistant principal either. I would ask the nurse to handle it diplomatically.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

ahoymate — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:36:25 GMT

On 6/29/2014 qualitygal said:
Your principal needs to speak up. The teacher may have an allergy to deodorants, and needs to see a doctor for help in that area if that is the case. But fellow teachers shouldn't be put in that position. Ask your principal to step up and tend to that. He/she may have to deal with that issue down the road from a parent re this teacher. JMHO

Yes, the principal needs to deal with this. Enjoy your summer

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

cotto22 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:49:46 GMT

Do you have cubbies or drawers in the office for correspondence? Perhaps someone could leave her a stick of dove deodorant or secret or some other brand anonymously if all else fails! (We had Secret Santas when I was teaching, and that is how our Secret Santa gave us our gifts.)

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

missy1 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:52:12 GMT

I am surprised the students/parents haven't said anything. If it's that bad.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

Colonel Meow — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 22:54:21 GMT

On 6/29/2014 ciao_bella said:
Thank you for the responses. Unfortunately, our principal isn't the type who would approach the subject with her, but I like the idea of the nurse. Our nurse is fantastic, like yours lovesrecess. I should have also mentioned that this person's culture, doesn't seem to recognize deodorant as a means to control underarm odor.

I was going to mention something like this. I worked for a company years ago - there was a coworker who refused to wear deodorant (but she was a very well-groomed person, otherwise), and we went through the proper channels to get it addressed.

We were told by HR that they could not pressure her to wear deodorant due to "cultural considerations" that were unspecified. My other coworkers and I just learned to live with it and minimize our interactions with her.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

Demitra1 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 23:34:09 GMT

My brother owns a small engineering manufacturing business, and he had an employee from another culture that smelled really badly. It took three times of my brother (the boss!) explaining to him before he "got it". I found that odd since he had gone to college in the states. It is just a very uncomfortable conversation to have. As a teacher, there were years I would have a student that smelled so bad it was actually nauseating. The school nurse worked on that. I could never understand how the parents were even in the same room with their child, let alone hugged them without smelling them. I suppose the house smelled the same way, but it is so hard to imagine that

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

Demitra1 — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 23:36:33 GMT

I just remembered that many years ago I had a principal for about three years that smelled atrocious and had very dirty hair. The thing is, he had a very neat, cute, and clean looking wife. We never did figure out why he was so dirty and unkept. They left our town and went to ALASKA! Lol

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

ahoymate — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 23:37:39 GMT

On 6/29/2014 cotto22 said:
Do you have cubbies or drawers in the office for correspondence? Perhaps someone could leave her a stick of dove deodorant or secret or some other brand anonymously if all else fails! (We had Secret Santas when I was teaching, and that is how our Secret Santa gave us our gifts.)

Oh pleeez! How old R U? This is childish behavior.

The principal, like it or not principal, this is your job. He/she can't pick & choose which jobs to perform based on comfort or like. It's called WORK!!!!

In the corporate world, it's the manager's job to confront.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

Dharma_Initiative — Sun, 29 Jun 2014 23:44:38 GMT

The principal is the boss of the teachers, therefore whether she/he likes it or not, it is her/his JOB to address this problem with the teacher. Period.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

lolakimono — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 00:27:00 GMT

If you have a union, your building or area rep might be able to handle this if your principal is unwilling to do so.

Re: Sensitive issue regarding a coworker

chessylady — Mon, 30 Jun 2014 00:35:25 GMT

I don't think body odor is a cultural thing, it has to do with consideration for others.If a person doesn't know they have body odor, it is the supervisor's place to talk to them. Several months ago I read that Gwyneth Paltrow has terrible body odor because she doesn't wear deodorant. She has all the money in the world to seek a solution if she has allergies.