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November 14, 2003

What You Don't Nose Can't...

I'm a little late to the jump on this, but going through my vast read-and-rip pile this afternoon, I came across a September item from Newsweek's wonderful Perspectives column:

"We'll know it when we smell it." Murfreesboro, Tenn., Councilman Toby Gilley, on the standard that will be used to enforce a new policy that requires all city employees to smell nice when reporting for work

It's true. Late this summer, the city if Murfreesboro adopted a good hygiene policy discouraging body odor or the over-application of perfume and cologne. On the hygiene tip, this sounds like microbe-managing to me.

Now if only I could get my colleague to stop snapping his gum.

Posted by Heath Row at November 14, 2003 5:20 PM | Category: human resources | 2 Comments

2 COMMENTS

Posted by: Steve Kemper at November 14, 2003 5:54 PM: I've actually worked at a place where a similar policy was adopted -- and I was glad for it. Having worked with people whose scent announced their approach and lingered long after their departure, I can attest to the distraction and discomfort -- and therefore lost productivity -- this can cause. I've literally been around people whose odor, either natural or man-made, gave me a sore throat. And then there are people who are actually allergic to certain perfumes and colognes. I don't like to see unnecessary rules and legislation but, as always, it is typically made necessary by a small, offending minority that affect the majority. Organizations must be careful of this kind of gray-area policy, though, so that it does not result in discrimination or abuse.
Posted by: Steve Portigal at November 17, 2003 3:42 PM: I do like the nice reference to the "I can't define obscenity, but I know it when I see it" statement by Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart.