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Personal Hygiene
23rd June 2010
All employers have a duty of care towards their employee's health and wellbeing whilst at work.
One issue which may occasionally arise in the workplace is the matter of an employee’s personal hygiene. The problem may be one of offensive body odour, dirty or smelling clothing, dirty hair or bad breath.
Dealing with an employee who has a personal hygiene problem is one of the most difficult and sensitive situations that a manager is likely to encounter. Providing hints and suggestions to the employee is not an effective way to inform an individual of the problem. Although no employee wishes to be told they have poor hygiene, it is important that employers tackle the situation promptly and firmly.
Avoiding any Negative Impact
As soon as other employees or customers begin to notice the problem, this can start to have a negative impact on the workplace. Unless the issue is raised with the employee, it is unlikely to go away of its own accord. Colleagues may start to show hostility towards the problem employee and may soon become disillusioned with management if they ignore the problem or are unwilling to deal with the situation swiftly and effectively.
The best way forward is for employers to approach the situation by holding a private meeting with the employee. A sensitive approach will be required and the employer must be prepared to talk openly and frankly about the issue. In the meeting, the employer must be ready for the employee’s reaction to the news, as they may feel embarrassed, angry or upset.
Possible Outcomes
The employer must listen carefully to the employee’s response to the matter as there could be an underlying reason for their poor hygiene. This could perhaps be related to personal problems outside of work, or something more serious such as a medical condition or cultural belief. Depending on the explanation provided at the meeting, it will be important to gain the employee’s trust and commitment to resolving the matter.
The employer should ensure they offer the employee any relevant help and support where needed. For example, where a problem appears to be health-related, the employer could seek advice from Occupation Health or, with the employee’s permission, contact the employee’s GP to obtain further clarification and information relating to the employee’s condition.}
The outcome of the meeting could be that the employee simply agrees to:
• be seen by a company-nominated doctor at the employer’s expense to discuss the matter and seek a solution;
• seek advice from their own doctor about the problem;
• launder their clothes more frequently;
• bathe and/or wash their hair more frequently;
• brush their teeth and/or use a mouthwash more frequently.
Employers must be careful to handle any explanations relating to medical or cultural reasons sensitively. Failure to do so could result in an employment tribunal claim under the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 or Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
Summary
Dealing with a personal hygiene problem in the workplace is certainly not easy for a manager, but in the longer term, frank feedback is essential to ensure this type of situation is managed effectively.
The following tips provide a summary of how employers can deal with this type of situation:
• Talk to the employee privately and confidentially to minimise any embarrassment to the employee.
• Ensure the meeting allows for a two-way flow of information.
• Approach the problem sensitively and patiently, allowing the employee sufficient time and opportunity to respond.
• Discuss the issue in an open and supportive way, not in a manner that implies criticism or threat.
• Endeavour to seek a solution that the employee feels is feasible.
• Stress that improvement is important to provide an acceptable working environment for all and/or to create a positive image on the part of the organisation when dealing with customers etc.
• Set a review date at the meeting, perhaps for a month’s time, to ensure that the situation is monitored.
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