Q. One of my employees has a bad breath problem. I'm very uncomfortable discussing this with her, but some people have complained. I'm her manager, but I'm not sure what to do. How do I tactfully handle this?

— DON'T WANT TO GO THERE

A. Personal hygiene is a tough issue to tackle, because private bodily functions are not typically discussed at work. So for you, as the manager, I'm afraid that I have bad news and more bad news.

First, forget about finding a comfortable way to bring this up. There isn't one. Your employee will take it personally because it is personal. So this may be one of those moments when you wonder why you ever wanted to be a manager.

The other bad news is that you do need to address this. When personal matters affect work results or relationships, they become job-performance problems. Hygiene issues often alienate colleagues and customers, leading to many undesirable consequences.

Since the employee may not even be aware of the problem, here's a possible opener: "I need to talk with you about an issue that is somewhat difficult to discuss. Frankly, I'm a little uncomfortable bringing it up, but, as your manager, I feel that I should. I've noticed that there is a rather unusual odor on your breath. Since this might indicate a medical problem, I wanted to be sure you knew about it." Then see how she responds.

Should she get angry or defensive, you may need to help her see that you are being helpful. Reiterate your concern about her health and suggest that she talk with her doctor or dentist. There actually are medical conditions that produce chronic bad breath.

If she asks whether people have complained, you can truthfully reply that a few have mentioned it. But do not give names — that would only create a whole new set of problems for you to handle.