(Editor’s Note: We were asked this by a client this week. We took it to our friends at the HR Support Center and within minutes they responded with these two suggestions. We highly recommend their services.)
Question:
“Our receptionist has bad hygiene and an unacceptable appearance. She looks as though she’s just rolled out of bed, her body odor is noticeable to customers and vendors, and her attire is often dirty, torn, or poor fitting. What is the best way to handle this situation?”
Answered by The HR Pros
“Poor hygiene and clothing are certainly sensitive matters, and ones you’ll want to address directly with the employee. A sensitive and straightforward approach is usually best.
To help minimize embarrassment, we recommend meeting with the employee in a private location where you will not be interrupted. It is also best to conduct the meeting just prior to the end of the workday, so the employee may leave immediately after the meeting.
The first conversation on these topics should not take the tone of a disciplinary counseling session. Explain the problem with the employee’s hygiene and dress in the context of how it affects the workplace. If you have a written policy regarding personal appearance and hygiene, you can use that as a framework for the meeting. If you don’t have one yet, now may be the time.
It’s possible that the odor results from a cultural or religious preference. On rare occasions, bad hygiene may be the result of a disability. Although you should keep those things in mind, we recommend you do not attempt to figure out the cause of the employee’s bad hygiene.
We also recommend against making suggestions for how to fix the issue, unless the employee asks for suggestions. Be compassionate, but focus solely on the company’s expectations.
When the conversation turns to her clothing, you should be prepared to offer concrete guidelines and examples so she understands what has been unacceptable about her attire thus far. If the employee expresses concern about not having appropriate clothing, let her know that she needs to follow your dress code. However, you may want to have some places in mind where she would be able to purchase acceptable work attire without breaking the bank.
As a final thought, ensure that you are holding this employee and the others to the same standard. If you address the need for her clothes to be ironed or well-tailored, or her hair to be neatly brushed, be prepared to require the same of other employees.”
Question:
“How should we handle a situation where customers are complaining about and refusing to work with one of our employees due to his lack of personal hygiene?”
Answered by The HR Pros
“This is certainly a sensitive issue. We recommend starting by having a coaching meeting with the employee that will not be considered a disciplinary event.
You should meet with employee in a private location without interruptions where you can explain the problem and how it affects the workplace. Holding the meeting at the end of the day may be best as it will allow the employee to leave immediately afterwards.
If you have a policy about personal hygiene in place, review it with the employee. Trying to find the root of the issue or providing solutions may embarrass the employee. Instead, try to be compassionate and focus on the company’s future expectations. Be sure to give the employee room to speak and ask questions.
It is possible the employee has a disability that impacts their hygiene or that there are protected religious or cultural factors in play. This is definitely a difficult conversation, but in our experience, an honest conversation generally produces positive results if you remain sensitive.
If the employee’s hygiene levels continue to be an issue, the next meeting may have to be disciplinary in nature and should be handled with the same progressive discipline process that you use for other matters.”
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