“Hi, I have a problem, it’s really awkward, and I need your help. I find it difficult to eat when you bring your friend through here. There’s a smell that comes with that’s a little on the unsavory side.” Expect push back, and when you get it, tread gentle. What you don’t want is you saying, “I work here, I should be able to eat whenever I want,” only to have your coworker respond, “Well I work here too, I should be able to bring friends whenever I want.” Better is to avoid that. When the pushback comes, try this instead: “Look, I’m all for personal choice. I also think that when in Rome, you do as the Romans do, not out of conformity, but out of respect for the customs of the people you’re visiting. If we were a kibbutz, that’d be one thing, but we’re an office, and there are unspoken yet very clear norms in place. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask your friend to respect these norms when s/he visits.” Continued pushback? Seek HR’s help.

We also have a co-worker who has a partner who brings in an unbelievable stench to our lunch room on occasion. Today I ate lunch at my desk so I could breathe between mouthfuls.

How do you tackle those angles?

Hopefully it was just as much fun as we I had reading it. Smelly coworkers can be the pits, thanks for sharing the great advice.