Wellbeing | How do you confront an employee with bad personal hygiene?

By Judy Simpson, HR Consultant, Moorepay

Body odour is cited as the biggest bugbear for 70% of employees. So, what should HR do to tackle this awkward and personal situation?

In the first instance, you should not ignore the situation. Sitting next to, talking to, and working with a colleague who has consistent objectionable personal hygiene can be an intricate concern for employers to deal with.

You should consider the hefty impact this may have on relationships between colleagues, clients, and customers. For example, working with a colleague who has body odour or bad breath may affect morale and productivity in the workplace. If the employee is in a customer facing role, it may even result in a business losing clients.