Twice a week we publish 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?
About six months ago I started work at my current job. My boss is nice, as are my co-workers, and we get good perks. But I am so very bored, and therefore terrified of losing my job – and I don’t know what to do about it.
I suffer from workplace anxiety because my previous two jobs, my only other postgrad experience, were both horrible. I was abused, neglected and betrayed at both, and being naturally introverted I have not yet recovered what little assertiveness I once had.
I have asked my boss for more work several times but there just isn’t much to be had. While I don’t get the feeling, like I used to at my previous job, that the absence of work is deliberate sabotage (at my previous job my suspicions were correct), I still suffer from anxiety.
I have joined an activities team and try to find ways to get involved to fill up my days, but I still have hours where I just sit and fret. I am terrified to ask HR about expanding my role because I don’t want to get my boss in trouble, and I certainly don’t want to be seen as expendable. I also don’t want to quit because this is the best environment I have come across since my intern days – but I know I won’t feel better until I am busy.
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 to reply personally.
