DEAR HARRIETTE: A young lady just started interning with me for the summer. She is very eager to do a good job and a bit nervous, which is normal at the beginning of a work relationship. The one thing that is bothering me is that she wears way too much perfume. It is overwhelming in our small office. I haven’t said anything yet because I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable, but I can’t take it. The smell is so intense that it is nauseating. How can I bring this up to her? -- Aromatic
DEAR AROMATIC: At the end of a workday, take her aside and tell her that you need to share something with her. Tell her that you are extremely sensitive to smell, and you have noticed that she wears either a lot of perfume or a strong fragrance. Ask her stop wearing it or to apply less. Explain that the office is small and the fragrance is overpowering the space. Chances are, she will be embarrassed at first, but it has to be addressed.
You should know that when people are nervous, they often do things excessively, from fragrance and makeup application to overtalking. Sometimes these things settle over time. In other instances, they have to be addressed.
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)