General Chat

I know a rather large lass (I'm not a fattist--'cos I ain't exactly a sylph myself!!) She has had a few problems this year and was off work for a while. She has piled even more weight on and I'm concerned, she's only in her 30's but I noticed how short of breath she was just walking down a short corridor the other day. That's the first issue, the other is she smells awful. stale, yeasty, old sweaty BO! It's awful and makes everyone talk about her--even first thing in the morning she smells! and it lingers for hours afterwards on furniture and the phone anywhere she has been, some of the lasses have even washed down her area to try and get rid of the odour. She's not the easiest person to aproach either, one of lifes loud, slightly impervious to critisim and a wee bit tactless in her aproach with people- in short, difficult! I would hate it if people were calling me the way they call her behind her back, and as the problem is getting worse I feel we need to tackle it ---but how without making her feel dreadful? Any ideas please. Carol

Ooh that is a difficult one. Well, speaking from my experience of working with a girl a few years ago. She worked in the same office as me, she wasn't big but boy!! did she have stale, horrible BO. Everyone noticed it; after a lot of thought I decided the only thing to do was to tackle it tactfully (didn't want people thinking it was me who smelt!). I bought some deodorant, some matching soap and bath foam, put them on them on her desk before she came in with a llittle note 'This is a little gift from me to make you so much nicer to be near'. It worked too! Good luck Sylvx

Just thinking too - if she creates a storm about the tactful approach I mentioned, then the next step will have to be to sit down with her and explain the problem. She'll probably huff and puff with indignation (her defence) but she'll go away and have a think about it. It's amazing isn't it that some people really don't smell their own smell so to speak. Sylvx

Trouble is we have thought of that but we would have to parcel and address it to her and she's that 'showy' she would rip it open in front of everyone and I'd hate her to be embarassed.But it really has got to be dealt with--before te customers start saying things

I know you're thinking of HER embarrassment at the time; but what about the others in the office, they need thinking about too for putting up with her BO. Her embarrassment won't last long, I can assure you.... The girl I worked with was embarrassed, first off, hid the things in her bag. But it did work.

Her imperviousness to criticism is her defence - deep down she is probably quite shy and actually lacking real self-confidence and self-esteem.

That's another good approach Elaine. It is so difficult I can remember.

I'm a scardy cat!!! Help someone send me some courage!!

No, seriously don't be. You're not being nasty to her, it will be to her and everyone else's benefit in the long run.

you think if I wrote her a friendly anonymous letter or is that chickening out? It really is so bad that I couldn't sleep thinking about dealing with it!!

Good luck Charlie Chuckles, let us know how it goes. Courage girl, courage....... Sylvx