How to handle awkward hygiene and conduct conversations at work

Executive overview

HR professionals inevitably face conversations about personal hygiene, inappropriate dress, and unsanitary habits. Avoiding them makes the problem worse; having them badly damages trust. The key is to lead with care, stay non-accusatory, and give the employee a path forward.

Framing these conversations as supportive check-ins — not complaints — protects both the employee's dignity and the working relationship.

Body odour

• Start with a general check-in; ask how they're settling in before raising the issue.
• Frame it as self-care, not an accusation: mention that new employees sometimes skip sleep, meals, or showering when overwhelmed.
• Ask whether they have time to take care of themselves and how you can help.
• If the odour is a sudden change for a long-tenured employee, focus on wellbeing first — something may have shifted in their life.
• Escalate to directness only if the indirect approach fails.

Overpowering perfume or cologne

• No room to be vague; be direct but warm.
• Protect the complainants: never name who raised the issue.
• Acknowledge the scent positively, then flag the impact: "I love the smell of your perfume — you may not realise it's a bit strong and causing discomfort for some people."
• Ask for a simple behaviour change going forward.

Bad breath

• Bad breath can be a medical condition, not a hygiene failure — do not assume.
• Open with genuine praise to establish goodwill before raising the issue.
• Be direct: "It's come to my attention that your breath is perceptible and causing discomfort amongst your peers."
• Suggest brushing and mouthwash daily; recommend a doctor if it may be medical.
• Frame it as something you're raising because you value them and want them to succeed.

Inappropriate dress

• The best defence is a clear dress code in the employee handbook before issues arise.
• First response: send a company-wide reminder — no individual called out.
• If the behaviour continues, have a direct one-to-one conversation.
• Avoid accusatory language ("you're violating the dress code"); instead, review the policy together and ask for agreement to comply.
• Reference the specific rule that applies rather than making a personal judgement.

Nose picking

• Do not accuse directly; reframe as an office cleanliness and germ-control issue.
• Ask whether the employee has reviewed workplace hygiene posters.
• Announce general hygiene reminders (e.g., handwashing signs in bathrooms) so the message lands without singling anyone out.
• Invite their input on keeping the office clean — giving them a stake in the solution makes the behaviour change more likely.
• Some people genuinely don't realise they have the habit; treat it as awareness, not misconduct.