|Articles|May 29, 2015

Ask Shawn: Help! A good employee smells bad

Get a whiff of this. Shawn McVey, MA, MSW, of McVey Management Solution in Austin, Texas, tackles the tough topic of a team member with odoriferous emanations. Listen as he sniffs out a solution for a manager who needs help to delicately handle this potentially embarrassing situation with grace and sensitivity.

Q: We have an employee who has a bad odor. It fills the clinic with a sour dirty aroma that makes me sick to my stomach. I have started applying Vicks VapoRub to my nose every day. I really enjoy the employee and do not want to hurt any feelings, but the smell is too much. How should I approach this employee?

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Ask Shawn: Help! A good employee smells bad

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