Twice a week we publish the problems that will feature in a forthcoming Dear Jeremy advice column in the Saturday Guardian so that readers can offer their own advice and suggestions. We then print the best of your comments alongside Jeremy's own insights. Here is the latest dilemma – what are your thoughts?
I have a demanding and exciting job with a large local authority, in a role that crosses education and social care. I plan and deliver projects for young people; contribute to city-wide strategy on youth unemployment and post-16 education; work in schools and colleges; and give advice and information to a wide range of professionals. I plan and deliver training, and do some very rewarding direct work with young people. I love my job, I have great colleagues and supportive management.
But, suddenly I am without a desk – I am told I have to "work agile". Well – to be fair, I am allocated a third of a desk in a very small noisy office.
I am not opposed to "agile working" in principle and understand the need for it, given the massive cuts to local authority budgets. However, I feel it has been done particularly badly in my office. The "agile" staff are crammed into a very small space, two or three to a desk, where the noise level is very high because much of the work involves conversations with colleagues and on the phone.
Yet, on the other side of a partition, is a large quieter office with half the number of staff, each with their own desk. These are the managers.
I feel so stressed and aggrieved it is affecting my sleep. My back hurts from constantly lugging around, unpacking and repacking my now mobile office. But mostly I feel undervalued and demoralised. I have tried to talk about it with management but was told it's a "corporate decision".
I don't know where to begin trying to sort it out – I don't even know if I've got cause to be aggrieved. There are plenty of other staff in similar situations and it's not as if I've been made redundant. I could really do with objective advice so I can stop feeling stressed about it and get on with the job I love.
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy's and readers' help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.
