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Korean company's 'shower once a day' notice catches eye of netizens

Published: 25 Apr. 2025, 12:56 Updated: 25 Apr. 2025, 14:06

Stock photo of a showerhead [GETTY IMAGES]

A company’s internal hygiene campaign encouraging employees to shower once a day is gaining attention online.

A recent social media post featured a photo of a notice sent by a company’s management support team, according to online communities on Thursday. The post, uploaded by an office worker, said the company launched a “cleanliness management campaign” to maintain a pleasant work environment as summer approaches.

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“There was a new hire who made me wonder, ‘Do they not know how to shower?’” the worker wrote. “It didn’t seem like they used body wash or soap. But then the management support team issued a ‘once-a-day shower’ notice.”

The notice offered personal hygiene tips, recommending employees shower at least once a day during the summer. It also advised wearing clean clothes and using personal items such as deodorant and wet wipes to stay fresh. Workers were urged to dress in breathable clothing and to wash garments like shirts more frequently.

To maintain a comfortable office environment, the notice stressed the importance of ventilating the space before work and after lunch. Employees were also encouraged to actively use air conditioners and air purifiers. It also asked workers to clean up after using shared spaces out of consideration for others.

The notice ended with a firm reminder: “Thinking, ‘I don’t smell,’ is a mistake. Odors from cigarettes, post-workout sweat, bodily functions or unwashed clothes might not be mentioned by others — but that doesn’t mean they’re unnoticed.”

“Since the office is a shared space, I actually appreciate this kind of announcement,” wrote the employee who shared the post. “It’s awkward when someone comes in wearing clothes that smell like they didn’t dry properly.”

Reactions from netizens were mixed. Some wrote, “I wish my company would issue a notice like this too,” and, “This isn’t kindergarten—why do people need to be told to shower?”

Others said, “People who need the notice probably won’t read it or won’t think it applies to them,” and, “It must be really bad for the company to send out a message like that.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]