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Author: Chapman, Mary1

Q A member of my team has bad personal hygiene problems. She doesn't appear to care or notice but the rest of the team certainly has -- I've heard them complaining about it -- and service users must be aware of it, too. I know it makes her colleagues uncomfortable and think it is getting in the way of their ability to get on as a team. I know I need to speak to her about it but am unsure how to tackle the problem.

A The temptation in a situation like this is to go for a subtle approach, but these rarely work and are still likely to cause hurt.

It is much better to confront problems directly, and there are several sensitive ways to do so. Approach your colleague at a time when you can't be overheard, as you do not want to give the impression that people are talking behind her back.

You need to be upfront and tell her you have a difficult issue to raise. But balance this by suggesting you think she'll want to know about it. This approach allows you to broach the subject as if you have noticed it and are concerned for her -- in other words, trying to help. She is more likely to act on your comments if they are delivered in a caring manner.

It's important that you describe what you have noticed, rather than offer subjective opinions by making comments such as "it's affecting the way others work". Stick to the facts.

Make sure you end on a positive note. Perhaps you could comment on her contribution to the team and the quality of her work, because she will need to see that you value her as a colleague.

Who's doing it? Anita Walsh.

Where? East Riding of Yorkshire Council.

Job description: Assessing the needs of visually or hearing impaired people and arranging equipment and assistance.

Skills/qualifications needed: Ability to use sign language, patience, sense of humour, empathy.

What's good about the job? Often simple, cheap things can greatly improve clients' lives. I get job satisfaction from that. I love face-to-face contact. My job shows someone cares. Clients can be isolated, and some have families who don't bother much. I also find sign language fascinating.

What's bad about the job? I wish there was more deaf awareness and that people were more patient with deaf relations, not mocking them for asking a question twice or making remarks such as "She hears when she wants to."

Pay: £17,000.

What's the job like? I visit clients and assess their needs. An assessment takes about an hour. We can suggest a range of ideas. It might be simply recommending the talking books service. Or help with cooking -- you can stick different-shaped "bump-ons" on microwaves and cookers, so visually impaired people can tell which setting they are using. There are talking products including microwaves, bathroom scales and watches. Loop systems for hearing-impaired people amplify without distorting. When I show a client a loop and they hear a human voice for the first time in years, their faces light up. For deaf people who live alone, being able to hear the television on a loop gives them company. Without assistance, people will muddle on with a poor quality of life. Some equipment such as magnifying computers and readers -- where you feed in a document and a voice reads the text -- is too expensive for the council to provide, but charities and families can help.

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By Mary Chapman

Mary Chapman is chief executive at the Chartered Management Institute