Q: The guy beside me smells of BO. What should I do?

A:  Bad body odor of an employee remains to this day one of the hardest conversations I have ever had to have.  As such, I can say without any doubt that you shouldn’t say or do anything to the poor smelly colleague.  Don’t make fun or be rude to her face or behind her back even if you are pretty sure it is just poor grooming habits. 

BO can be a product of a medical condition, cultural, mental health issues, and a variety of other conditions and situations that frankly few are really up to handling let alone capable of handling well.  The truth is, it isn’t up to you to change the person either. 

Instead, focus on what you can have some control over.  For example, can you change where you sit or request a move to a different team or location, work from home, or adjust your schedule to work at different times.  If those aren’t options, speak to your manager or resident HR person and let them know about the problem and get them to privately and sensitively discuss the issue with the offending employee.

Send your questions to the Career Doctor: feedback@jobs.ca