A co-worker’s perfume is too strong. What to do?

Q: Your co-worker wears a strong perfume, and it’s becoming too much to bear. How do you tell her it’s too strong and is bothering you — without offending her?

A: Say, “Your perfume is lovely, but it seems to be triggering my allergies. I’m sorry to ask, but would you be willing to leave it off at the office?”

A reasonable person will be willing to accommodate you, particularly if you’re kind and a bit apologetic.

But, if she turns out not to be reasonable, this is something you can take to human resources for assistance. Offices are increasingly having to address fragrance sensitivities among employees, and it’s something they should be willing to intervene on.

A: To find out that the perfume is having an adverse effect is bound to feel embarrassing. Discreetly ask around to see if other colleagues feel the same way you do. If they do, you’ll gain confidence in your approach. Find a way to have a one-on-one conversation to avoid putting her on the spot in front of others. Address the subject with her when you’re in a calm state of mind. If you’re too emotional, words will come out the wrong way.

Gently slide into the touchy topic. Say, “I’ve been meaning to ask you for a favour, but I didn’t know how to say it. Then I thought to myself, if the roles were reversed and my co-worker felt this way, I would definitely prefer she tell me. I was wondering if you would mind not wearing any perfume at work. It may sound surprising, but since we spend many hours a day at work, the scent of a perfume can eventually become too intense and distracting.”

— Martha Morrice, founder of Martha’s Workshop, the blog for professional women