Keep your office smelling sweet

Have you ever had to deal with a complaint about a ‘smelly’ colleague? An online survey has revealed that smokers in the office can cause quite a bit of trouble for their co-workers. Some employees are unhappy with having to sit near to anyone giving off an ‘unpleasant odour’, while smokers themselves are increasingly deceptive in trying to hide their habit and disguise the smell of smoke.

Non-smokers are coming up with a variety of solutions for dealing with a smoky pong. One person suggests having a small desk fan to circulate the air in the office. Another has a more direct approach, while still being suitably diplomatic. They propose telling the culprit that as the odour bothers them they are considering using air freshener, but as they don’t want to disrupt them with a chemical smell, maybe they can try to reach a solution together.

Smokers in turn have different ways to cut down any in-office whiffs, such as always washing your hands and face with soap after returning from a cigarette break, or using an odour-neutralising spray. One recommendation is to ensure that you don’t smoke in enclosed spaces such as a car, to avoid trapping the smell to your clothing.

A final suggestion is that if the problem is too difficult for you to deal with personally, take the complaint straight to your manager or HR department, whose responsibility it is to ensure a pleasant working environment for everyone. But the overall consensus is, if your colleague is releasing an ‘unpleasant’ aroma, don’t suffer in silence.

Comments were drawn from a reader survey conducted by thestar.com.