People who smell like smoke in the workplace

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Ultimate Geek

#1713730 1-Feb-2017 09:58

Technofreak: Going through HR might be seen as less confrontational but is the wrong way to do this in my opinion.

There's no need for confrontation when dealing directly with the person involved. You just need to explain the problem and try to work together to find a solution that works for both of you. Don't be judgemental about their smoking habit.

Going to HR is the cowards option. It potentially creates more issues as the person involved knows a work colleague has complained, they don't know which one, this places everyone under suspicion potentially undermines harmony in the work place.

I wouldn't trust HR to resolve the issue, in my experience most HR people don't know how to do their job.

Agree with this approach 100%. HR should only be involved if you can't resolve the issue face-to-face and it actually is an issue. In my experience HR is not on your side and could only introduce more issues down the track.

FWIW, as an ex-smoker, I find BO, cooking/food smells, perfume and bad breath equally as offensive in the workplace as the smell of cigarettes. Please don't be judgmental just because they are a smoker.

networkn

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#1713737 1-Feb-2017 10:07

We made all of this so much easier by refusing to hire smokers.

jonathan18

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#1713739 1-Feb-2017 10:08

PaulBags: (Snip)

Brand could also be an issue, different brands smell/taste different and there may be one that smells less/better - I wouldn't hold my breath that they'd change for you though.

Boom boom!

I sympathise with your problem, Tim, as I've experienced it occasionally - I've been in meetings where I've found it necessary to breathe through my mouth to avoid the overwhelming stench of cigarettes from someone seated beside me. I couldn't cope with that smell all day, especially as I know I've got a strong sense of smell!

In regards to perfume in the workplace - I listened an interesting interview with an Aus writer who's written a book on the subject; apparently 35% of people are affected by perfumes, including it acting as a trigger for many with asthma. On Nat Rad's website if interested.

timmmay

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#1713747 1-Feb-2017 10:16

tstone:

Agree with this approach 100%. HR should only be involved if you can't resolve the issue face-to-face and it actually is an issue. In my experience HR is not on your side and could only introduce more issues down the track.

FWIW, as an ex-smoker, I find BO, cooking/food smells, perfume and bad breath equally as offensive in the workplace as the smell of cigarettes. Please don't be judgmental just because they are a smoker.

Sure, other smells can be annoying, but you don't tend to get them refreshed 3-5 times a day, and they're not typically carcinogenic.

Of course I judge smokers. I see them as weak and less intelligent.

MikeB4

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#1713751 1-Feb-2017 10:19

timmmay:

tstone:

Agree with this approach 100%. HR should only be involved if you can't resolve the issue face-to-face and it actually is an issue. In my experience HR is not on your side and could only introduce more issues down the track.

FWIW, as an ex-smoker, I find BO, cooking/food smells, perfume and bad breath equally as offensive in the workplace as the smell of cigarettes. Please don't be judgmental just because they are a smoker.

Sure, other smells can be annoying, but you don't tend to get them refreshed 3-5 times a day, and they're not typically carcinogenic.

Of course I judge smokers. I see them as weak and less intelligent.

Take it from someone that was a manager for a very long time, if you approach the situation with this attitude "Of course I judge smokers. I see them as weak and less intelligent." you may very well be the subject of HR intervention.

timmmay

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#1713762 1-Feb-2017 10:21

MikeB4:

Take it from someone that was a manager for a very long time, if you approach the situation with this attitude "Of course I judge smokers. I see them as weak and less intelligent." you may very well be the subject of HR intervention.

Of course I wouldn't approach anyone like that, it's more a blanket thing. Any approach would be polite, diplomatic, and perhaps phrased "you might not realise that after you smoke a cigarette that smell is bought into the office, and it's a very strong smell".

MikeB4

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#1713764 1-Feb-2017 10:24

timmmay:

MikeB4:

Take it from someone that was a manager for a very long time, if you approach the situation with this attitude "Of course I judge smokers. I see them as weak and less intelligent." you may very well be the subject of HR intervention.

Of course I wouldn't approach anyone like that, it's more a blanket thing. Any approach would be polite, diplomatic, and perhaps phrased "you might not realise that after you smoke a cigarette that smell is bought into the office, and it's a very strong smell".

Now that is the approach and one as a manager I would expect you to do first as would HR. If that fails talk to your manager and it may help to have a quiet chat with some other staff. Managers will be more inclined if it is more than one person affected and not an individual beef.

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freitasm

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#1713786 1-Feb-2017 10:49

The problem of not involving HR from the start is that if things turn sour is your word vs BO Person...

xontech

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Ultimate Geek

#1713788 1-Feb-2017 10:51

Interested to know what people think would be an appropriate resolution to this.

BurningBeard

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#1713792 1-Feb-2017 10:54

timmmay: Of course I judge smokers. I see them as weak and less intelligent.

Bertrand Russel (philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist and Nobel laureate) smoked like a chimney and he isn't exactly a dullard.

Actually the single most smartest, clued-up person I've ever known is himself a walking ash tray.

networkn

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#1713794 1-Feb-2017 10:56

freitasm:

The problem of not involving HR from the start is that if things turn sour is your word vs BO Person...

Agreed. Also not everyone is prepared to enter a 1-1 dialog on a touchy subject, which potentially results in conflict.

Some smokers I know are completely aware of the impact and try and minimize, will admit it's a filthy habit and apologise if someone says something.

Others are militant and make comments like "smoking stops me from killing people".

It's not always apparent which a person is, till it's happened.

I recall following a smoker down the street with my then 5-year-old son who commented to me that the smoke made his eyes and nose hurt and it wasn't healthy, and this guy turned around and set upon my son which resulted in the papa bear in me coming out, reminding him very strongly he was confronting a 5-year-old child who was just being honest and that he best keep his tone civil and only address me. He then tried to set upon me. Fortunately, a police officer was walking up the street immediately behind us which I didn't know, who took the man off and gave him a severe telling off.

dafman

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#1713795 1-Feb-2017 10:57

Back in the day ... my first office job, the woman next to me chain smoked her way through 40 ciggies a day at her desk.

No air con, and we weren't close to a window.

Count yourself as lucky (-;

timmmay

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#1713807 1-Feb-2017 11:04

BurningBeard:

Bertrand Russel (philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist and Nobel laureate) smoked like a chimney and he isn't exactly a dullard.

Actually the single most smartest, clued-up person I've ever known is himself a walking ash tray.

All generalisations are false.

Fred99

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#1713811 1-Feb-2017 11:08

freitasm:

The problem of not involving HR from the start is that if things turn sour is your word vs BO Person...

True - but don't expect them to do the "hard bit" that nobody else really wants to do either.

In the case I mentioned where my wife had to deal with the issue, she ended up dismissing the person anyway - for other reasons.
If that person had initiated collating records and all the other stuff that tends to happen these days with expectation that they might be able to lodge a PG later, getting rid of them for other unrelated matters will turn into a time consuming debacle where all kinds of stuff gets brought up as "evidence" that they were unfairly treated.
That said, sloppy personal habits do seem to correlate with sloppy work habits.

freitasm

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#1713814 1-Feb-2017 11:11

It seems the HR folks at my company are actually hardcore, not the wussies you see around then. Good on them.

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