I recently submitted an expense report following a routine trip to Frankfurt. Instead of attaching the total bill, I mistakenly attached a fully itemised printout. Unfortunately, this was returned to me, copied to my boss, with one item – “Private Room Entertainment: Adults Only Movie” – highlighted as an illegitimate business expense. I ordered the film more out of curiosity than habit and am usually meticulous over my expenses. I work in the finance department and am a loyal and trusted employee. The form was seen by my secretary, though, and I am anxious that it may become a topic of conversation with her lunchtime colleagues. How do I salvage the situation?
Manager, Male, 43

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My husband’s large aerospace company "went virtual" a year ago. He now works at home from 6.15am to 4.15pm Monday through Friday. He never takes a vacation and is in the house all day long. He has started complaining to friends and co-workers that being with me 24/7 is driving him crazy. It is driving me crazy too and I don’t know what to do about it. I could walk the streets all day - which might at least make me very fit - or I could sit in Starbucks all day and chat with other grande latte drinkers who have nowhere else to go. These don’t seem ideal solutions but I don’t see how we can continue to be in the house all day without destroying our marriage.
Housewife, female, 66

I work for a company in Russia and have an exceptionally attractive young woman on my team. She is 28, blonde, and quite beautiful. The problem is that my boss has developed a crush on her. Actually I think it may be rather more than a crush. I am almost certain that they are having an affair, depsite the twenty year gap in their ages and the fact that he is married. She is bright and capable, though somewhat over-promoted, and this is making it very difficult to manage my team. Most of them are males, many of whom also seem to have crushes on her, but now resent her too. Any ideas on how to manage the situation?
Manager, male, 35

I have been suffering from depression on and off for about 10 years. Recently it has got so bad that I have had to take time off work. I was forced to tell my ultimate boss, who has been fairly supportive, though clearly knows nothing about mental illness. I work at a bank, where the culture is macho. My persona at work is aggressive and upbeat, so I fear that if anybody finds out I am severely depressed they will conclude I’ve either gone mad or can’t hack the job. So far I have told them I’ve got a virus, but I don’t know if people believe me, and I think they may be talking behind my back. In some ways it might be easier to tell the truth, but I fear for the consequences.

I work for a  TV company which is in the process of refurbishing its building. For the last ten years I have had my own office, but now I am told that the new layout will be open plan. The chief executive will have his own office (as well as a desk on the floor) but all the other directors will no longer have any  private spaces.  I feel really upset about this. I stopped working open plan 10  years ago, and  I need the  privacy of my office. I hold constant meetings with clients, and I don’t see why my PA should spend her entire life booking meeting rooms. Moreover I feel too old and experienced to sit surrounded by 20 year olds.

My question is this: should I kick up a huge fuss? I think I have a reasonable chance of getting my own way. But at what cost? I am concerned that the six other directors are pretending to welcome open plan, and if I am the only one who protests might I seem like a status conscious dinosaur?  Also if I decide to fight but lose the battle then my card might be marked as far as my boss is concerned. But equally this is an issue that matters to me and to lie down and take it seems, frankly, feeble.
TV executive, male, 52

I am an ambitious woman in my mid-thirties working for a large multinational. My immediate boss is blocking my promotion because he resents me and is threatened by my talents. My strategy has been to find a mentor above him in the hierarchy. This seemed to be working: I have secured a true champion, who has told me repeatedly that I have what it takes to reach the very top. However, recently I’ve started to suspect he may have ulterior motives - he keeps on inviting me out to drinks on my own after work. Now I fear I’ve alienated my boss by going over his head, and risk losing my mentor if I refuse his advances. How do I get out of this tricky situation?

I have invited my boss and his wife to dinner, but am in a quandary over who else to ask. He is a formidable man who doesn’t find small talk easy. If I invite my most amusing friends I risk inflicting a boring evening on them. But if I ask some other dull people I owe hospitality to, I risk boring my boss. I could play safe and invite other colleagues, but that is politically complex and might make it look as if I have no friends at all. I’m also uncertain about the food: when we went to his house, dinner was very formal and served by a housekeeper. Should we get out our best china or do we deliberately make it a casual supper? And how do I stop my wife from divorcing me as she says she is dreading the whole event?
Manager, male, 34

I have been in the same job for seven years, but in the last twelve months have started to feel stale and tired and bored and somewhat burnt out. I used to love the challenges of the job but as I get older I find I’m becoming more cynical about the work itself and am also losing respect for my peers and about the  people I manage. I also fear that I may be doing my job rather less well than I used to, although no one seems to have noticed anything. Indeed, my bonus last year was the biggest I have received to date. I could go and work for another company, but I think that as the problem is inside me, I’d just be moving it from one place to another without changing anything. I could stop altogether, but I don’t have any hobbies in particular, and in any case I have two young children in private school and am reliant on the (generous) salary. Is there anything I can do to get my enthusiasm back? Or are there any consoling thoughts that make working without enthusiasm more tolerable?
Senior manager, male, 49

I work in a mainly male dominated environment; when I attend the weekly
management meeting with my peers (I am the only female) my colleagues assume
that it is my responsibility to ensure that the Minutes and Agenda are
printed and circulated in advance of the meeting (when the PA is on
holiday/ill) or ask me where the documents are if they are late arriving - I
think this may be because I am the only female within the group. How do I
rebuff such requests without sounding like a "jobsworth" - whilst keeping my
reputation in tact?

- Commercial Manager, female, 39

I am a journalist working in a large media group. I have just received a very friendly message from the chairman (whom I have only met once) asking me if his nephew can do work experience with me for a week.

I’m not at all keen, partly because it is extra work having to take a teenager to press conferences, but also because I don’t want this kid reporting back on how I am doing. However, it might be mad to say No. Ours is an organisation that lurches from one crisis to another and we all live in constant fear of redundancy. Surely no one fires someone who has just done their nephew a good turn?

Journalist, male, 36