You Stink!

National Fragrance Day occurred, mostly unnoticed, last week. But, with allergy season bearing down on us, employers are getting real when it comes to talking about workplace smells. In a recent OfficeTeam survey, 46 percent of employers will let a distracting or annoying smell go and suffer in silence.

However, employees tend to complain a lot about smells. Many cite stinky food as the most annoying coworker behavior, followed by wearing too much body fragrance and having a strong scent (such as incense or candles). The good news for those with sensitive noses, 19 percent of workers said their companies have a scent-free policy for the workplace.

Other statistics from the survey include:

* 17 percent of employers confronted the person about their smell when fellow employees complain;
* 15 percent of employees have asked their manager or HR to intervene when fragrance or smells become an issue;
* Only 37 percent of all workers say they have not experienced offensive coworker smells during their careers;
* Men (43 percent) and workers ages 18-34 (42 percent) are the people most likely in the office to take action in response to the fragrances.