Aside from making sure that it meets your working and wellbeing needs, you want to make sure that your workplace is a relatively pleasant place to spend your time. Too much “gross-out” factor, and you will find that employees, clients, and visitors will be making excuses to get out of there as soon as possible. Naturally, that’s not going to bode well for you.

Bad odors are some of the biggest concerns when it comes to what can scare people away from the office, so here are some ways to deal with them.

Keep It Clean

A dirty office, lying stains, or food left out are all going to start contributing to bad odors that will linger around way longer than the sources. Make sure you have rules about worktop cleanliness, especially where food is involved. Otherwise, hire cleaners for your office to keep the standards up. The bathrooms are, of course, worthy of extra attention when it comes to this tip.

Make Hygiene Policy

It’s not very often that a person’s individual odor gets so bad that it can affect the entire office or the company’s image, but it does happen. First of all, you can make it policy to make sure that you are washed and wearing clean clothes in the office, as well as to maintain a clean desk. However, when it comes to talking to an employee about body odor, privacy, discretion, and sensitivity are important. There are tips you can find online that break down how this conversation should go in more detail that are worth reading.

Say No to Smoke

If and where possible, make the office a no-smoking zone. You shouldn’t think you can stop employees from smoking entirely and giving them a discreet, comfortable place to take a smoke break can help maintain morale. However, if smoky smells do linger in the office because of that, you can make use of tools like a smoke eater for home to help clear those smells away. Of course, any kind of air freshener, especially a long-duration one that you can plug in or light, is going to help replace that smell, too.

Improve Your Airflow

The more that air stagnates, the more likely a bad odor is going to stay around. Make sure that your air conditioner and ventilation systems are working as best as possible. Moisture and humidity can cause damp smells or cause other sources of uncleanliness to get magnitudes worse, as well. For that reason, you should consider getting an office dehumidifier to keep the moisture content of the air relatively low. Of course, clearing away clutter and dust will give moisture less room to build up in, as well. Lastly, open the windows a little more often.

If there are really persistent bad odors, in spite of the tips above, then there’s something else that you need to do about it. It may be a plumbing problem, something rotten in the HVAC systems, or otherwise, but you have to get to the bottom of it.