Dealing With Coworkers

I get emails like this all the time:

We have tried to put up signs in the bathrooms instructing people how to wash their hands (huge problem in this office) and violators keep taking them down. I have almost given up in correcting the problem. Please give any advice that you can.

The problem is, I really don’t have any good advice. How do you correct a behavior so fundamentally flawed as not washing your hands after going to the bathroom? It seems inconceivable that these people are unaware this is common practice, which implies they simply don’t care, or are pathologically insane. Either way, it’s going to be tough to reason with them. Not to mention a little bit awkward bringing things up.

Say… Bob… I noticed you don’t wash your hands after you pee… what’s up with that?

My advice is to wash your own hands even more often than usual, because sometimes the best offense is a good defense.