help with a co worker.

**Opti girl** · 11-17-2017, 10:58 AM

Not really optical but hoping for some advice please. I just started working at a new office two months ago, a small one compared to the big name ones I am used to working at. The older gentleman optician that I work with has severe dandruff. I'm sure he know he has it but seems to not take care of it! The phone will have flakes after he uses it. Chairs are covered. Desk top has dandruff on it. His dark hair has huge flakes sitting on the top of it. And I have noticed that customers shy away after talking to him. Sales in the office aren't great on the days he works but are much higher on his day off. I have actually had a customer call to see if he was working on the day she wanted to come in as she didn't want him working with her.
Is there an acceptable way to approach him? My boss says she won't say anything because it would be too rude, but I feel it affecting the business as there are only two of us that are working the floor.

**bta89** · 11-17-2017, 11:33 AM

If your boss isn't willing to do anything about it, the only thing you can do is talk to your co-worker. You must be willing to deal with how they handle it though. Maybe what you can do is show the boss that on days when your co-worker works you don't make as much money. You will need to provide hard facts showing this is consistently true. I had a similar experience and brought it up to my bosses and they didn't want to do anything. I showed them they were losing a lot of money but nothing changed. It's best to bring it up once and then drop the issue. You don't want to make yourself look bad especially since your relatively new.

**uncut** · 11-18-2017, 01:25 AM

May I suggest trying the "we're all in this together" approach?

Mention that you had a severe dandruff problem, yourself. You found that a dandruff shampoo, or merely adding a dandruff creme rinse helped.

Then hand him a bottle to try. Follow up, by commenting, and complimenting him of the improvement.

**TEdFitz** · 11-18-2017, 11:27 AM

Have the boss rig the Secret Santa giveaway in your favor...That's two birds, one stone.

Merry Christmas!

**Happylady** · 11-19-2017, 01:44 PM

If he has flakes that bad it's probably not ordinary dandruff. He really needs to see a doctor for it. If you have talked to your boss and she won't do anything I think your hands are tied at least for awhile until you get a feel for the place more.

My opinion is your boss should speak to him about it and she's using the excuse that it would be be rude because she isn't comfortable about it. Does she really understand how bad it is?