My co-worker has the most obnoxious-smelling lunches and always eats at her desk. Most of us are annoyed by it. How do we get her to eat somewhere that's better ventilated so we don't have to gag every day?
This is one thing we don't have to relate to anymore! The beauty of living at Buff Loft is we can eat in a common area, eat outside on the deck, or even in our bedrooms. There's plenty of space to get fresh air! But, enough salt on your wound. Let's get to the problem at hand.
It's incredibly frustrating when a colleague's lunch choices disrupt the entire office atmosphere, especially when you feel like you're constantly holding your breath just to get through the afternoon. I remember working in a place where there was always a lineup for the microwave in the lunch room. Sometimes after people reheated their food, it was enough to turn my stomach to the point I wasn't hungry anymore.
The good news is, there are constructive ways to address this without turning your office into a battleground.
First, let's talk about what not to do. Resist the urge to leave anonymous notes, make pointed comments or aggressively spray air freshener every time she opens her lunchbox. While these actions might offer a fleeting sense of satisfaction, they rarely solve the problem and often create an awkward, potentially hostile, work environment.
I assume you're all adults. This seems like something minor that the staff should be able to address without issue. If, however, you feel it will create awkwardness amongst your team, loop in a manager. It's their job to handle internal matters. Now, I personally wouldn't make it known to the boss that I'm the one complaining because it could come across as petty, so perhaps anonymously letting the manager know is the best approach. (That's where a professional note comes in.)
You could also try distractions or changing her habits. If everyone is eating at their desks, maybe someone should suggest everyone goes to a lunchroom or, weather permitting, a designated place outside. I realize that in most cases lunchtime is a chance to get away from co-workers but maybe you could frame it as a team building moment.
I was going to suggest that you and some co-workers -- or you with her one on one -- have general conversation about lunch and you would throw in some stats about how dirty workspaces are and the germs and bacteria around the desks. But, again, if everyone is eating at their desk then you're all going to look like gross people.
If it's really, really, really that bad for you, push management for a no-eating-at-desks rule. Spill something on your keyboard if you have to! Set the plan in motion!
You could also just split as soon as you hear the lunch coming out. Sure, she'd be dictating when you take your lunch but if it's that unbearable, you might just feel the need to leave as soon as she does it.
Truthfully, anonymously contacting the manager and saying the smell is a problem might do the trick. It'll likely result in a casual conversation between the two of them and hopefully resolve the issue. And if you do it, don't be obvious with watching for the moment of the conversation. You'll give yourself away if you're focused on them when you notice the manager walk over to initiate things.