Vault: The Smelly Coworker Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About

Summary

The Bert Show - "Vault: The Smelly Coworker Problem Nobody Wants to Talk About"

Date: April 3, 2026
Main Theme:
How should workplaces and individuals handle the sensitive, awkward, and all-too-common issue of an offensive-smelling coworker? The Bert Show team shares stories—some personal, some from listeners—and explores practical, humane ways to approach this delicate problem.

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Episode Overview

The Bert Show tackles a recurring, uncomfortable workplace dilemma: when someone’s body odor becomes an issue that others notice and discuss but no one wants to confront directly. The hosts swap stories and bring in listener experiences, including managers, coworkers, and HR professionals who have faced this challenge head-on. The conversation digs into the nuances—the emotions, potential embarrassment, and tricky social politics—of giving or receiving feedback about personal hygiene.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem’s Prevalence & Why It Happens

• Seasonal Increase: Bert notes that emails about this spike in warmer weather.
  • "[Is it] getting warmer. Is that why you think we're getting them more emails?" (00:22, B)
• It’s Not Perfume: Clarifies the topic is solely about offensive body odor, not strong scents otherwise.
  • "It's body odor that more than one person around your office has mentioned." (00:34, A)
• People Often Unaware:
  • "Never know they smell." (02:28, C)

2. Personal & Listener Stories

• Radio Studio Anecdotes:
  • Abby recounts a former coworker whose post-bike-commute odor became so bad that the next host smoked a cigar in the studio to mask the smell.
    • "The guy who came in after her [...] smoked part of a cigar in the studio to get this smell. Because the only thing that could overpower that one smell was the smell of a cigar." (01:21, C)
• Church Setting Experience:
  • Listener Emma shares how their group tried to subtly address the issue but ultimately resorted to installing air fresheners above the person's seat.
    • "We even went to their house so it wouldn't be on the church setting, and they didn’t do anything about it. So we ended up having to install one of those little air fresheners that went off, like, every 18, 36 minutes above where they sat." (03:16, F)
• Direct Confrontation:
  • William, a caller, describes pulling a coworker aside and being frank.
    • "I just pulled him to the side and [...] said, dude, you're gonna have to kill that buck crack stank, bro." (05:16, H)

3. The Role of HR & Approaching the Conversation

• HR’s Reluctant Role:
  • It's often HR’s duty, but sometimes employees are nominated to have the uncomfortable talk.
    • "I'm like, the nicest person to everybody [...] and they always pick me to have the talk with people, and I've had to do it several times." (06:12, G)
• Language Matters:
  • The team questions which terms are the least offensive—'smell', 'scent', or 'body odor'—with HR preferring 'body odor.'
    • "Yeah, body odor." (07:06, G)
• Emphasizing Help:
  • HR often offers assistance (e.g., soap, perfume) rather than just criticism.
    • "...if you need any help with, you know, some soap or some, you know, perfume or something like that, you know, we'll be more than willing to help you out." (06:38, G)

4. Social Dynamics & Sensitivity

• Friendship Facilitates Candor:
  • The group agrees it’s easier to receive feedback from a coworker you’re friendly with.
    • "I think B, it depends on your relationship at work, if you're buddies, if your co workers. It would be a lot easier to take, don't you think?" (05:53, D)
• Humiliation vs. Help:
  • Most would prefer someone tells them, even if it's awkward, rather than be the subject of office jokes and avoidance.
    • "Wouldn't you rather know, like, if you're that person? Like, wouldn't you rather have one person have the face to face with you and have it awkward rather than know everybody in the office is laughing and sort of avoiding you because you reek." (08:31, A)

5. Memorable & Humorous Moments

• The Cigar Solution:
  • "The guy who came in after her was actually lit and smoked part of a cigar in the studio to get this smell [...] the only thing that could overpower that was a cigar." (01:21–01:35, C)
• Direct Honesty:
  • "Kill that buck crack stank, bro." (05:16, H)
• HR’s Template:
  • "I don’t want to offend you, but your smell is kind of offending other people." (06:29, G)
• Joking Comparison:
  • "You're not the Licey kid in the office." (09:03, A)
  • "The only thing worse than that, that's the Licey kid." (08:53, A)

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Notable Quotes and Moments with Timestamps

• Bert on the Challenge:

  • "If there is somebody in the office that is so offensive, smell wise, how do you handle it?" (00:00, A)

• Abby’s Studio Story:

  • "The only thing that could overpower that smell was the smell of a cigar." (01:27, C)

• Listener Emma on Subtle Solutions:

  • "We ended up having to install one of those little air fresheners that went off, like, every 18, 36 minutes above where they sat." (03:18, F)

• William on Blunt Honesty:

  • "You're gonna have to kill that buck crack stank, bro." (05:16, H)

• Carrie from HR on Approach:

  • "I don’t want to offend you, but your smell is kind of offending other people." (06:29, G)

• Christina on Talking to a Boss:

  • "When I told her, she was just. She was embarrassed, but she was like, thank you so much. She said, I’m gonna kill my daughters for not anything to me." (08:14, E)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00 – 01:49: Setting up the topic, sharing personal stories
• 03:03 – 04:36: Listener Emma's story from a church setting
• 05:04 – 05:53: Listener William’s direct confrontation story
• 06:07 – 07:08: HR professional Carrie discusses her approach and preferred language
• 08:12 – 08:31: Listener Christina’s experience with her boss and the importance of kindness
• 08:31 – 09:12: Reflection on whether people would want to know or remain blissfully unaware; joking comparisons to being "the Licey kid"

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Conclusion

Tone: Light, direct, sometimes irreverent, but ultimately concerned with kindness and practical solutions.

Takeaway:
While handling a coworker’s body odor problem is never easy, the best approach combines honesty, empathy, and discretion—ideally in private, using gentle language, and with genuine offers to help. The Bert Show’s stories and calls underline that the awkwardness is universal, but most people would prefer an uncomfortable talk over being ostracized or laughed at in secret. As one HR pro put it: "I don’t want to offend you, but your smell is kind of offending other people." (06:29, G)

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For more episodes or to call in with your own stories, visit thebertshow.com.

Transcript

[A]

Hey, the Birch Show. From time to time we get a very similar email from those of you that listen. And it's so common that we got to bring it up and try to figure out exactly how you handle a situation. So we could pass this advice on to you guys. If there is somebody in the office that is so offensive, smell wise, how do you handle it?

[B]

Because it's getting warmer. Is that why you think we're getting them more emails?

[A]

And it could be. It could be.

[C]

I didn't think of the warmth.

[D]

So it's, it's offensive body odor. We're not talking about perfume, right?

[A]

We're not talking about perfume. It's body odor that more than one person around your office has mentioned. There's almost a little buzz whenever this person goes by because it's consistent.

[B]

But you don't know how to go to that person themselves and say anything.

[A]

Indeed.

[C]

I told you guys. The girl who I worked with in Syracuse, you know, airtight radio studio, she was filling in one week during like middays or something like that. And whatever shift she was filling in for, the sun was up when she came to work and she thought it would be a great idea to ride her bike. So she would, I think, sleep late, no shower, get on her bike, ride it to work, sit in the airtight studio. She, unlike us or unlike some of us, didn't really want the air conditioner on. Worked better when she was loose and warm. Little like, like that hot yoga. Maybe she was just ahead of her time, you know what I mean? So she's got it nice and cozy in there. Bikram studio, to the point where I remember the reason that they finally decided to talk to her is when the guy who came in after her was actually lit and smoked part of a cigar in the studio to get this smell. Because the only thing that could overpower that one smell was the smell of a cigar.

[A]

I wonder if we could get one of two calls, and that is maybe from somebody in HR that has had to have the talk. I'd also like to talk to somebody and put you on the voice disguiser that had to talk to them. Like HR called you in or somebody in the office was voted that person to tell you that you were the person that was offensive in the office. Like, how can it be done and done in a way that doesn't completely humiliate you because anybody that has to

[D]

approach you about your body odor is uncomfortable and they don't want to offend you and maybe you don't even know that you smell bad, you know, so they. What are the right words to use to start that conversation? Have that conversation.

[C]

It's such a. Never know. They smell.

[D]

Is that true?

[A]

I think that they have no idea or they. Of course they would cover that up.

[D]

Are you sure?

[B]

I remember I was a little sister in a fraternity in college, and there was one guy and they.

[E]

And.

[B]

But they just. You know, guys just. And it's college, so it wasn't a workspace, but they would just give him a hard time because they would always say he had his cologne on. But he was one of those guys that I guess wanted to adopt the European culture of not having to cover your natural body odor. So he. He purposely did not wear deodorant because he didn't believe in it. And when we would have, like, parties and house parties and everybody would get in there and dance and stuff, there he was wearing his cologne.

[A]

As they would say, Emma wants to be on the voice disguiser. Hey, Emma. Good morning.

[F]

Hey, Good morning. How are you guys doing?

[A]

Okay. Now, were you the person that had to be talked to or were you assigned the talk?

[F]

We were assigned to talk with somebody at our church.

[D]

Oh, okay.

[F]

Okay. And we told them we even went to their house so it wouldn't be on the church setting, and they didn't do anything about it. So we ended up having to install one of those little air fresheners that went off, like, every 18, 36 minutes above where they sat.

[D]

No way.

[A]

You just hear it go, like, every 18 minutes during church.

[F]

We all knew what it was for, so we just tried to ignore it.

[B]

That's so sad.

[D]

So how do you start that conversation?

[F]

We just went to the church. We went to their house and we told them, you know, look, we know that you aren't in the best conditions right now. And, you know, we've had some of the visitors complain, and they're like, oh, I don't know what they're talking about. So all you can do is really try. And if they take your advice, they take it. If they don't, they don't.

[D]

Wow. Wow.

[C]

In a workplace setting, this would be an HR question. But in a workplace setting, can you force someone to comply? Like a church setting, I guess you could ban them from the church. I guess you could say you're not welcome, but that seems so.

[A]

I told you we had this happen in Dallas. The overnight girl before I came in was. She was a large woman, and she sweat a lot, and she liked it like an incubator in there also. And my first job every morning because the studio got so bad. These are airtight here. Like Jeff was saying, there's airtight in here. So she was in here for four and a half hours, reeking up the place. My first job every single day when I came in was to freshen the studio and get the overnight girls stank out of there.

[D]

And so nobody ever approached her about it.

[A]

I can't remember the end. I certainly wasn't me. I don't know if I think HR did have to have a couple of conversations with her.

[C]

The girl in Syracuse, HR talked to her. Like, they had to say, look like the guy smoking the cigars in the studio was the final straw. They're like, dude.

[B]

Yeah. And the person after that could smell

[C]

both cigar and stank.

[A]

We got two actual experiences here from people that have had to have the talk. William, good morning. You're on Q100.

[G]

Hey, good morning, y'.

[H]

All.

[B]

Good morning.

[H]

Oh, yeah. I had to confront this. I'm not gonna say any names, but, yeah, he was a. He was a large dude. It got to the point where he was aggravating me, and I just pulled him to the side and. And walked out back and smoked a cigarette with him. I said, dude, you're gonna have to kill that buck crack stank, bro.

[A]

No.

[H]

Oh, yeah. It was killing me.

[B]

And what he say?

[H]

Well, you know, he. You know, he laughed. He says, yeah, you know. You know. You know, he was kind of, like, offensive at the same time. But I said, I wasn't trying to be mean. I just rather speak to you about it than go to hr I think

[A]

maybe a dude can have a talk with a dude easier than Duke.

[D]

Could be like, bro, you stink. Yeah, you need to clean it up.

[B]

Or, like, the fraternity. Yeah, like in the fraternity, where they just gave him a hard time and just kept giving him a hard time

[D]

until he got the point.

[B]

Right.

[D]

But in a work setting. Well, I guess it depends on if you're like. Well, it depends on your work environment, A. And I think B, it depends on your relationship at work, if you're buddies, if your co workers. It would be a lot easier to take, don't you think?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Here's an actual word from hr. Hey, Kerry, you've had to have this talk before.

[G]

Several times. Several times. We work in a small call center, and, you know, it's a. It's a very small setting, so you're right next to the person next to you, and I'm like, the nicest person to everybody and some kind of friends. With everybody, and they always pick me to have the talk with people, and I've had to do it several times, and it's the hardest thing to do. And you kind of started out with, you know, I don't want to offend you, but your smell is kind of offending other people. So, you know, I always do it with, you know, if you need any help with, you know, some soap or some, you know, perfume or something like that, you know, we'll be more than willing to help you out. But kick in, that's the hardest conversation to have, especially with somebody that, you know. You know, somebody that's worked there for a little.

[D]

Right. And do you use the word smell or scent or body odor? What word do you use?

[G]

Yeah, body odor.

[D]

Body odor.

[C]

You should go smell.

[H]

Smell.

[D]

So your body odor is offending other people.

[A]

Oh, how about if you had to

[C]

tell your boss, you should get all psychic on him and be like, I can see your aura.

[D]

Smell it, too.

[A]

Christina had to tell this to her boss.

[E]

Hi, guys. I used to work in a hospital, and the head of our department was a woman who was about a mom, mom age, probably, like, mid-50s. And the big joke around the office was how bad she used to smell. And nobody would say anything to her. And she had two daughters that were in their 20s, the same age I was at the time. And I noticed when my mom would go into menopause, like, any perfume or body soap she used affected the way she smelled. So I told my mom. So I figured, you know what? I'll just say something to my boss about it. Just asking her, you know, if she knows anything about it, because she was a nurse. And so when I mentioned it to her, I was kind of hoping she'd get the hint because everyone in the office was, like, you know, directed more towards her. So when I hinted about it, she act on. And then a few days later, I. They asked me to go back in and say something to her. And when I told her, she was just. She was embarrassed, but she was like, thank you so much. She said, I'm gonna kill my daughters for not anything to me. And she was just. She was happy. I told her, and she asked me if anyone else had said anything, and I lied and said no because I didn't want to hurt her feelings. But it was like the big joke in the hospital. Every time she walked by, people were like, oh, my God, she reeks.

[A]

Wouldn't you rather know, like, if you're that person? Like, wouldn't you rather have one person have the face to face with you and have it awkward rather than know everybody in the office is laughing and sort of avoiding you because you reek.

[B]

Yeah, but it's so awkward to talk about because it is something that potentially is going to hurt somebody's feelings and nobody wants to do that. You're the stinky kitten class.

[A]

Oh, only one thing worse than that. That's the Licey kid.

[D]

Oh.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Yeah.

[D]

That's what you should start it with. Well, I've got good news. You don't have lice.

[A]

You're not the Licey kid in the office.

[C]

You don't have lice. But the reason you don't have license

[B]

curvature of your spine, the reason you don't have lice is because you stink. Too bad.

[A]

Even though lice don't want anything to do with you. Hey, the bird show.