Smoke-Free Office Smells
Q: Our office recently became a nonsmoking office and we have noticed a strong, unpleasant odor on one of the employees. We think the cigarette smoke had previously hidden it. He has his own office, which none of us goes into. His clothes and skin look clean, so we do not think it’s because of not taking showers. When he comes into the reception area, the receptionist has to spray because of the odor. When he sends out a fax, which is near my desk, I have to leave because it’s nauseating.
The office manager spoke to him, but she said he blamed it on other things - his aftershave, a rotten banana in his office and a cactus, which he took home. The owner has been out of town for the winter and just laughs it off, saying there’s nothing he can do. What can we do?
A: Body odor is no laughing matter and can seriously affect employee morale. Tell your office manager that this odor is making you sick. Looking at the bizarre excuses the employee offered, your office manager must assume he has emotional as well as hygiene problems. Another possibility is an illness that he doesn’t want all of you to know about. Whatever the cause, the owner and the office manager have a responsibility to the rest of you to deal with the situation. Talking to him again may make them feel awkward, but imagine how he feels when everyone runs out of the room when he enters.
When push comes to shove, employer is liable
Q: I own a small, local business and occasionally have problems between my employees. A young woman I recently promoted to supervisor called one of the employees a “bitch.” The 75-year-old mother of the employee has worked for me for 20 years. She placed her hand on the supervisor’s shoulder and said, “Don’t you ever call my daughter a bitch.” The supervisor pushed this petite, elderly woman away, causing her to fall down and hit her head. She’s OK, but I put the supervisor on a three-day suspension. Others have told me to fire the supervisor, but she said she only pushed the woman’s hand off her.
A: Whatever the supervisor’s intention, her “push” resulted in a fall, and you’re lucky the woman wasn’t seriously hurt. Robert L. McTiernan, employment law partner of Tucker Arensberg, P.C., in Pittsburgh, strongly advises that you discharge the supervisor.
“Employers need to act promptly whenever an employee behaves in a physical or violent way in the workplace toward another employee,” says McTiernan. “If you keep this supervisor and it happens again, you could be liable for negligence for not removing her.
Deliberate physical violence is the most extreme type of conduct, and employers are liable for the consequences of the action. Keeping this type of employee is not worth the risk in business.”
The fine line between honesty and stupidity
Q: When the truth is that you hate your job or don’t get along with your boss, what do you tell interviewers when they ask why you’re leaving your current job,?
A: Leave your hatred outside before you walk into that interview, and be positive and creative in your answer. If you can’t stand your job, look for a job with different attributes. When you interview, show excitement about the job responsibilities and explain how your experience will be a benefit in the available position. There’s a fine line between honesty and stupidity - one you never want to cross.