Common Sense Problem

amyhedlu · October 2003

I need the advice of the forum. An issue was brought to my attention regarding an employee who brushes his teeth at break and lunch time. I am all for good dental care. The problem is that he does it over the water fountain or walking through the lunchroom. I would like to discretely address the subject but I am left dumbfounded on how to handle it. How do you teach someone common sense? The complaints are coming from production workers and I have never witnessed it happening.

sohappytobe · October 2003

I would address it as an infection control issue.

sonny · October 2003

I would just tell him "Hey Joe, I am all for good dental health, but your brushing your teeth in public areas is bothering some of your co-workers. Would you mind moving it to the bathroom?" All done, the end.

amyhedlu · October 2003

I figure that I will walk thru the break room today and if I see him doing it then I can address him personally. Some days I feel like a babysitter.

rad · October 2003

That is gross. Just tell him that tooth brushing must be done in the bathroom. I'm guessing you don't have a policy to back that up but who would? As you said, this is a common sense issue and somne folks just don't have it. And I'm sorry to say that you can not teach it. But you can set the rules of acceptable behavior at work.

We have a few people who wash their food containers in the bathroom sinks. Fine, we don't have a kitchen, but they make no effort to rinse the sink after. Its not only a lack of common sense, its a lack of respect for other people.

LeeR · October 2003

I would let the ee know that he is welcome to follow his dental routine but the appropriate place for this is the restroom and only in the restroom.

amyhedlu · October 2003

No policies on teeth brushing! I just wanted to make sure that if I spoke to him directly that it wouldn't seem like I am targeting just him. I'd address everyone if this was a widespread problem but its not. I'm going to let him know that it needs to stop otherwise it will result in some discipline action.

gillian2 · October 2003

No, don't threaten disciplinary action at this point. See if you can fix the problem without it. You can go further if need be but chances are he will stop just by your telling him that how others view the behavior.

AnneHa · October 2003

We had a similar (but ickier) situation here a few years ago. One of our very senior employees was in the habit of removing her entire upper bridge in the break room, examining it closely, and then rinsing it off in the sink. It took a long time for anyone to let me know what was going on, but I simply told her to wait until she got to the restroom to begin her oral hygiene routine. End of problem.

Anne in Ohio

Crout · October 2003

Tell him that you're hearing complaints about his practice and ask him to confine his dental hygiene to the men's bathroom. It's a simple, reasonable solution. Don't get bogged down in thinking you have to come up with an airtight reason. The fact that you're hearing complaints is reason enough. When he asks you who is complaining, tell him that's irrelevant to the conversation.

Common Sense Problem

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