By CEDR HR Solutions

Let’s face it—personal hygiene issues are a stinky subject to handle in the workplace. From the unmistakable aroma of body odor to the lingering scent of a smoky weekend, addressing hygiene in a professional setting can be awkward. However, as business owners and managers, particularly in the medical spa world, ensuring your workspace is productive and pleasant is super important. So, how do you deal with those tricky hygiene issues without making things even more uncomfortable?

Your first step is to enroll in CEDR HR’s webinar, which is free to the AmSpa community, In under 25 minutes, you’ll learn how to confidently tell someone there is a hygiene issue present.

When it comes to workplace hygiene, don’t hold your breath

Every business has “that” employee—or, at some point, will. You know the one. Whether they’re proudly embracing their “natural scent,” drenched in cologne or bringing the farm animal odors with them to work, you need to step in and clear the air (pun intended).

The first question that many business owners and managers ask is, “Can I say something about this?” The answer is a resounding “yes.” Of course, that’s often followed by, “Do I have to?”, once the idea of telling someone they smell takes form in their mind.

As a medical aesthetics professional, your focus is on helping clients feel and look their best. Maintaining a clean and fresh environment where that happens is part of that service. After all, nobody wants to get a relaxing facial next to someone with an overpowering body odor issue.

Do not put this off hoping that the problem goes away or that someone else says something for you. The employee may not even be aware that they’ve got a bit of an odor problem, so chances are someone is going to have to say something. It will be better for it to come from you in a professional manner than for the employee to find out through a degrading comment made by someone else.

The air-freshening conversation

Here’s the good news: Addressing the issue doesn’t have to make you or your employee want to crawl under a rock. With the right approach, you can handle even the smelliest situations with confidence.

Handling hygiene issues should start with a simple, yet clear approach. Schedule a private conversation and avoid dropping vague hints through a team-wide memo—your staff will sniff out the real target.

Instead, directly address the employee. You can acknowledge how awkward it is to discuss and do it in a non-blaming manner. Here’s a quick conversation starter: “I need to talk to you about something that’s a little uncomfortable, and you’re probably not even aware of it. I’ve noticed there’s a lingering body odor on your scrubs every couple of days.”

See? Simple, clear and direct.

Keep the rest of the conversation focused on the desired outcome and why it’s important due to their position on your team. In a medical spa, cleanliness and professionalism are paramount, so you need to make sure your team always presents their best to clients.

While it's easy to identify the problem, finding a solution requires sensitivity and support. Whether it's smoke from a recent off-duty indulgence or simply too much perfume, encourage your employee to address the issue in a way that works for them without telling them what to do (such as telling them to shower every night).

The real key? You’re not telling your employees how to live their lives—just how to present themselves when they’re representing your med spa.

Legal considerations: Keep it clean (legally)

As usual, there are laws that may come into play here. While discussing this with your employee, you may discover that what you’re observing as an unpleasant smell may have some relation to a medical condition or religious practice.

For example, you may be expecting your employee to simply go to the store and buy a better deodorant. Instead, you may learn that your employee may be taking a medication that increases perspiration, or your employee may be undergoing cancer treatment and isn’t able to wear antiperspirant.

This is where it’s important to always have a basic understanding of what employment laws apply to you, including those regarding non-discrimination and medical accommodations. You need to be able to pivot your conversation toward working together toward a desired outcome without crossing the line into unlawful territory.

Understanding these nuances ensures that your approach is respectful, compliant and effective. Not sure what that entails? That’s where CEDR HR Solutions’ complimentary and on-demand webinar comes in.

Stop holding your breath and enroll in “The Clean Conversation” today

Still feel nervous about addressing hygiene issues? Don't sweat it (literally). The team at CEDR has sniffed out the best strategies for handling these uncomfortable conversations with grace, humor and legal know-how.

Sign up for the on-demand webinar today. It’s free to those in the AmSpa community.

So, don’t let the fear of tough conversations make your medical spa stink. Click here to enroll and keep your workplace fresh—literally and figuratively.