"Scent Sensitive" Rant

[Newfie]

Over the past few years, I've collected a few very nice colognes.

Lately, I've been seeing more and more signs in places that state someone who works, or is a customer, at that location, has, or may have, a sensitivity to scents to please refrain from wearing aftershaves or colognes.

Because I'm in sales now and may be into 4 - 8 locations a day, I refrain from colognes, but aftershave I do wear. (Maybe I'm being an a-hole, but my attitude is "I'm 1/2 way there, I ain't going all the way".)

I'll be honest and say it pisses me off to not be permitted to wear cologne "IF" I want to stay on the good side of my customers.

What say ye?

 

[luvmysuper]

The loudest voices get listened to first.
Squeaky wheel gets the grease.

I am sympathetic, and fully appreciate what you mean. The bottom line is, is the ill will you cause by doing what you want to do going to cost you enough that you won't do it? Or is it only a single or few individuals, the loss of which you can overcome?

Myself, I use the aftershave and travel frequently, and run across people who absolutely reek. Both with the over doing it with perfume or cologne, or those that just haven't got the idea of what the shower is for.

I know that my smell is not as bad as either of those extremes, and it is most likely that the signs you see are directed at those kinds of people, not you.

I would continue business as usual, and if it is mentioned to you, then make your decision and your stand at that time.

 

[Scentronic]

I'm the type of guy who will see that sign and intentionally use more because of it.

 

[Newfie]

Phil, excellent point, very well made and I'll live by that. You are probably very right that it's more towards those who don't know what soap is for or those who think "If a squirt is good, then 10 must be great".

I'm the type of guy who will see that sign and intentionally use more because of it.

When I lived just across the river from you, I felt exactly the same way. However, now that part of my salary can be determined by how others perceive me (right or wrong, it's a fact) I have to act a little differently.

 

[SilkySmooth]

i'm the type of guy who will see that sign and intentionally use more because of it.

+1

Just say your very sensitive to scents too....like B.O.

 

[jakespoppy]

Whether or not there are signs posted, you're in a position where you are trying to persuade others to do business with you, and like it or not, if your scent is offensive to potential customers, that will likely affect their decision. It sounds like you probably don't wear EdT or EdC in a manner to be offensive anyway. But it's like "dressing for success", you make choices in what you wear, what you say, what you do, and even how you smell, to influence customers. It's the nature of the beast. If you go to their location place to meet them frequently and those signs are posted, they might even wonder why you don't comply. It's just a little different when you're dealing with customers, than if it were just co-workers, neighbors, friends or family. You might not care as much what they think, or you may think they're wrong. But if the customer is wrong, they may decide to not do business with you for the "wrong" reason. Choose wisely, and I wish you success!

 

[SilkySmooth]

Studies have shown that sense of smell is the strongly effects long term memory. I believe that if you use AS or EDT sparingly, you'd leave a better impression than if you smelled of BO.

 

[kingfisher]

Usually, when that kind of sign is up, it's not because somebody finds a scent offensive or doesn't like the smell of a certain scent.

It's because somebody may have a violent allergic reaction to a certain scent.

My wife's friend came to visit us years ago when I was living on the California coast. The plan was for us all to go to the beach. After she arrived I began to not feel well. First I got nasal congestion, then I began to have a ton of mucus production, like I had a bad cold. I went through about 3/4 of a box of Kleenex in about 20 minutes. Then, I began to have swelling around my eyes and itching, and then I started to cough and have some wheezing.

I thought I must be coming down with something horrible. I was in no condition to go to the beach, obviously, and had to retire to bed with the Kleenex box next to the side of the bed.

My wife and her friend went to the beach. After about 15 minutes I began to stabilize (i.e., not get any worse). Thereafter I gradually began to feel better, although I never returned back to normal.

When they returned from the beach I began to get sick again. After she left, over the course of about an hour, I got better and I was absolutely fine thereafter.

That's when I figured out that it had been her perfume that had made me so sick.



A few months ago I was on an elevator. It stopped on the second floor and a woman got on. Before we got the 4th floor I was getting congested, starting to cough, and having wheezing. Although I was trying to get to the 8th floor, I got off the elevator on 5 and got a different car up to 8. If I had stayed on the elevator for 30 more seconds, I would have been seriously ill.


So, guys, saying when you see a sign like that you want to put more cologne on is very insensitive. Actually DOING that could be potentially dangerous for somebody.

 

[kongjie]

I have to echo Kingfisher's post. Heavy cologne or perfume scents can trigger migraines as well. Times have changed in U.S. workplaces and people shouldn't take personal offense that they're being asked not to make themselves detectable at a distance.

 

[tsmba]

I would never intentionally wear something around a co-worker who is truly allergic to scents. On the other hand, I have had co-workers, you may know the type, who seem to always be complaining about something. I had always worn EdT and months passed with no problem....then suddenly she started griping about everyone and trying to force everyone to use unscented soap, etc. That didn't fly.

 

[pcb01]

I would never intentionally wear something around a co-worker who is truly allergic to scents. On the other hand, I have had co-workers, you may know the type, who seem to always be complaining about something. I had always worn EdT and months passed with no problem....then suddenly she started griping about everyone and trying to force everyone to use unscented soap, etc. That didn't fly.

In my experience, those in the workplace who complain of others' scents are almost invariably disgruntled, unhappy, unproductive folks who make multiple other complaints and demands (e.g., special chairs for "comfort,", special keyboards to prevent wrist issues, etc.), are requent utilizers of whatever EAP programs are available, and seem to get some satisfaction in thereby generally controlling the work environment and increasing others' discomfort.

Having said that, I also have no doubt that an individual can have a severe allergic reaction to certain scents, as described in previous posts here. These folks should certainly be accommodated.

More commonly, though, the ones who make an issue that results in their coworkers having to abandon any kind of scent are those that are working other psychological issues. "Accommodating" these folks invariably leads to other, even more extreme, demands.

(Since I have never detailed my vital statistics profile, I will mention here that I am a psychiatrist and CEO of a public health agency. I know this doesn't give me unassailable cred, but might account for the nature of the post).

 

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

In my experience, those in the workplace who complain of others' scents are almost invariably disgruntled, unhappy, unproductive folks who make multiple other complaints and demands (e.g., special chairs for "comfort,", special keyboards to prevent wrist issues, etc.), are requent utilizers of whatever EAP programs are available, and seem to get some satisfaction in thereby generally controlling the work environment and increasing others' discomfort.

Having said that, I also have no doubt that an individual can have a severe allergic reaction to certain scents, as described in previous posts here. These folks should certainly be accommodated.

More commonly, though, the ones who make an issue that results in their coworkers having to abandon any kind of scent are those that are working other psychological issues. "Accommodating" these folks invariably leads to other, even more extreme, demands.

(Since I have never detailed my vital statistics profile, I will mention here that I am a psychiatrist and CEO of a public health agency. I know this doesn't give me unassailable cred, but might account for the nature of the post).

Every once in a while we have somebody who comes through like that on the job. They find out very quickly that being accommodating is not in our nature. We expect people to fall in very quickly and if one is going to be a bitcher and whiner then they can go kick rocks. We don't make our environment uncomfortable but we do have it a certain way. Fall in or get out.

Then again this is also the first job where "Pull your head out of your ***." was used as a continuing education and training tool.

Back to the topic, I wear frags at work all the time and I deal with more people than I sometimes care to and I've found that moderation is the key when dealing with sensitive individuals. Wear scents that are not offensive in the least and wear them sparingly. Then again I wear Kouros sometimes just to get a reaction. If they don't like it, again, they can go kick rocks.

 

[Doc4]

... they can go kick rocks ...

... they can go kick rocks.

So, I'm thinking everyone at your workplace wears steel-toed boots ...

 

[MichaelG]

One is practical - if you're in sales, you should try to accomodate your customers/potential customers.

Some people are truly affected by strong scents/smells. Migraine sufferers in particular, are very sensitive to scents. A strong scent can trigger a migraine or make it worse. You risk a lasting Pavlovian response in those customers - "oh great, here comes that guy who always gives me a blinding headache."

Over the past few years, I've collected a few very nice colognes.

Lately, I've been seeing more and more signs in places that state someone who works, or is a customer, at that location, has, or may have, a sensitivity to scents to please refrain from wearing aftershaves or colognes.

Because I'm in sales now and may be into 4 - 8 locations a day, I refrain from colognes, but aftershave I do wear. (Maybe I'm being an a-hole, but my attitude is "I'm 1/2 way there, I ain't going all the way".)

I'll be honest and say it pisses me off to not be permitted to wear cologne "IF" I want to stay on the good side of my customers.

What say ye?

 

[dwnwrdishvnwrd]

So, I'm thinking everyone at your workplace wears steel-toed boots ...

Actually yes!

 

[Emmett]

I actually am sensitive to many colognes and part of discovering what I like has been determining what does NOT give me a headache. Marine/ozone scents in particular are really bad. I don't like to be near a person and think, "S/he is wearing cologne". Unfortunately this is the impression many people give b/c they wear entirely too much juice.

 

[Newfie]

Plenty of great comments above and thanks to everyone for keeping this a friendly "gentlemanly" discussion.

On a normal basis, I am extremely considerate of people's "conditions" (for lack of a better general term). Because my success partially depends on how others perceive me, it is necessary I pay attention to things that can affect their impression of me. So on first visits to new customers, I'll be "scent free" and take it from there. As noted above, I don't wear heavy or strong colognes and I certainly don't put on enough so I smell like a cheap hooker.

However, I find it very hard to believe there are THAT many people who are "scent sensitive". I see these signs on offices, manufacturing facilities, wharehouses, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. Unfortunately, we live in a society where if someone claims some sort of a restriction, they are innocent of wrong-doing until proven guilty and we, as employers or co-workers, must be very tolerant. I'm not saying I agree with that, I'm stating what I believe to be a fact.

I like the first paragraph of PCBs post above. That basically sums up my thoughts in the above statement.

EXAMPLE:

I used to work in a chemical plant where, obviously for safety reasons, many wore rubber suits nearly all day. In summer time and hot humid weather, B.O. is a way of life and it's accepted to a point. There was one "gentleman" who refused to use soap to wash, either his clothes or body, because he said he was allergic to soap. The stench off him was literally sickening, and many (me included) would urge sometimes when changing next to him. Neither Management, HS&E or the Union would address the issue. I have my own thoughts why he was refusing to use soap, but these thoughts are better kept to myself.

So why should our physical repulsion to his "scent" be ignored while his "scent" must be tolerated?

 

[tsmba]

I would never hesitate to consider a co-worker's "true" needs. But having experienced a situation where an entire floor was being needled about their personal hygiene products, I learned first-hand that some folks seem to get their jollies from being the center of attention and watching everyone else jumping through hoops. This person was a hypochondriac, always out sick or whining about vague symptoms. It really became a circus!

 

[Monkeyboy]

At my work someone complained about coworkers' fragrances. The room that they are in is very large and the ceiling is easily 50 ft tall. They provided her with an air purifier for her cube but she still wasn't satisfied.

At the end of her shift one day she put a large hunk of limburger cheese into a microwave, set it for several minutes and left! I wasn't there that day but from all reports the stench spread throughout the whole facility and was unbearable.

 

[Parataxis]

I'll be honest and say it pisses me off to not be permitted to wear cologne "IF" I want to stay on the good side of my customers.

What say ye?

That's business, frankly. You also wouldn't be permitted to wear flip-flops "if" you wanted to stay on the good side of your customers - work demands all manner of sartorial proscriptions and restrictions; I don't see why scent should be unique in not being amongst them.

The problem, most likely, stems from those people (and they are legion) who wear too much scent : none is a unequivocal dividing line. Those who wear too much are clearly offensive, but a rule like 'no overly strong scents' would be argued till the cows come home (and possibly result in litigation if somebody feels that they were restricted when somebody else with what they feel is a stronger/more offensive scent wasn't).

I work in a very olfactory industry, so a no-scents during office hours rule has pretty much been standard all of my working life. I'm also extremely sensitive to smell, so I know the pain that they can cause. (This said, I love my fragrances when I go out at night)