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By Susan C. Price
[Questions are followed by answers and then, inevitably by ADVICE...you DID expect that...didn’t you?]
I have bad allergy problems. Some distinct scents (some sprays and some perfumes) can really cause trouble for me.
Sometimes, some of the people who stop by my office are wearing a strong scent that makes me cough and have headaches.
I like people and love them to stop by, but I may not be able to tolerate the perfume they wear. How should I shorten the conversation and let them know the problem (my problem) without hurting their feelings? –Angie
Dear Angie,
Sorry about that. I know that there are many annoying and dangerous scents about. (Ha! Due to a duet of very serious flu illnesses 10 years ago, I no longer smell most scents. Saves on perfume :-)
You can of course talk to your Human Resources officer and request that all staff be reminded that strong perfumes and other scented body products are dangerous for many people. This might be a good first step. But often, that information is misunderstood (“MY perfume is not strong!”) or completely ignored.
I think, a humorous sign or phrase might be useful here. Find the one that feels best to you. (Like all signs, you need to move it and change it every so often, so that folks notice/remember.) Try outside your door, at a prominent place on your desk, behind your chair on the wall above your head.
For example:
I like to check in with you, but my nose is sensitive. Perfumes and all scented lotions/potions are headaches to me. Let’s keep our conversation short.Or:
[We would really like more questions to answer, so send ’em in….]Love to chat.
All scents are dangerous (allergies).
Wear full hazmat suit, or keep it short :-)
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| "Red Head" |
| Copyright © 2014 by Susan C. Price |
Susan, our colleague James T. Carney emailed me that "I thought that Susan’s ideas of having humorous signs alerting visitors to her office that she was allergic to perfumes made a lot of sense. The basic approach of appealing to people as opposed to ordering them is a more effective approach." I share that with you with the additional information that his comment went on with, "(despite the fact that having spent my career in USS...," which turned out to be such a good little humorous piece that I asked him whether I might publish it. He readily agreed, and I plan to run it the next "Ask Wednesday" column, perhaps under the heading, "What did James T. Carney think of Susan's column last week"?
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