Q I work for a firm of property letting agents. The team I work in is really close-knit and we all get on extremely well. One thing is driving me up the wall, however - my boss insists on bringing his dog, a bad-tempered dachshund, into work.

I am really starting to resent this dog. It stinks the office out and, every time I walk past it, it tries to take a bite out of my ankle. I am on the verge of giving it a good kick up the backside while nobody is looking. Is this a wise idea?

A Yes, if you want to lose your job. You are clearly not the greatest fan of dogs - and I believe that dachshunds can be a particularly annoying breed - but that is not the point.

If your boss chooses to bring his dog into work, that is his choice and there is nothing you can do about it. Rather than start plotting against this dog, maybe it is time to call a truce. Try taking it some dog treats in the morning, or even offer to take it for a walk at lunchtime - you never know, you may find you grow to like it.

It is also worth remembering that many studies have been done on the presence of dogs in an office environment, a key finding being that they are known to reduce stress levels among staff. This, however, obviously does not apply to you.

Whatever course of action you take, you need to overcome your grievances with your furry friend, otherwise it will be you - and not he - who ends up facing the boot.

Q I run a service industry company and fewer and fewer members of my male staff are wearing ties. I think this is scruffy and am thinking of insisting that they are worn. Am I being old fashioned?

A Different people would doubtless give you different answers to this question but, for my own part, I think you are. The question you should be asking yourself is why you are insisting they wear a tie. If the reason is that they have to go out and see clients, or because you get regular visits from clients and associates, then fair enough - a tie might be necessary in order to present a certain image. If, however, it is just because that is the way things have always been done, then you need to think again.

We live in the 21st Century, and times are changing. Many organisations take a much more pragmatic approach when it comes to the dress code of their staff these days and are increasingly prepared to let people express themselves more in the workplace.

So think carefully before imposing a stricter dress code on your staff - you may achieve your aim, but at the cost that they choose to go work somewhere they are judged on their performance and not their dress.

Q I run a medium-sized business that appeared to be going quite well. However, I recently went to see my bank for an extension to my overdraft facility and was shocked to be informed that, not only could I not have the facility, but that my company was in danger of being put into liquidation. How could this be so?

A It sounds as if you have a simple case of bad financial management going on and it is not uncommon.

Many small to medium-sized enterprises plod along from day to day and month to month without taking the time to have a thorough assessment done of their financial state.

Orders appear to be coming in and things appear to be going okay, but their true financial situation can be masked by the fact that they have introduced loans and other outside finance into the company.

Often, they only realise they have actually been making a loss when it is too late. If I were you, I would do a thorough audit of your business, where it is at, where it wants to go and what it needs to do to get there.

It is worth hiring a good firm of chartered accountants to do this for you - their fees will be well worth it if they can establish a proper, regular system of financial reporting in your business.

Think very carefully before introducing any more debt into the business and seek advice about drawing up a long-term business plan that will make your company a more viable proposition.

Q I have lost my licence drink-driving and will almost certainly lose my job if I tell my boss about it. I am planning to drive without a licence and hope I do not get caught. Do you think I am taking too big a gamble?

A I am sorry, but there is no way I can condone such a ridiculous proposition. I am sure you do not need me to lecture you on the sheer folly of drink-driving and the dangers it can cause pedestrians and other road users. In answer to your question, yes, you would be taking a huge gamble by driving when banned.

I am no expert in the law, but I am sure you would face a hefty fine and a very lengthy ban. Surely, no job is worth taking this risk.

But I think we may be jumping the gun a little. Are you certain that you would face the sack if you told your boss?

Try broaching the subject carefully - explain that you have done something really daft that you heavily regret. Ask if there is any way of working around the ban and keeping your post open, perhaps by using public transport and doing more of your work on the phone.

You may find your boss to be more accommodating than you expect. If you do lose your job, unfortunately, you only have yourself to blame. For what it is worth, if you pulled a stunt like this in one of my companies and you were found out, your feet would not touch the ground on the way out of the door.

Q I run a small company that has been struggling for the past year. No matter what I try, nothing works and the managers I have put in place do not seem to be coming up with any ideas to turn our fortunes around.

I have been considering bringing in some external help from a team of management consultants. What do you think?

A You need to think carefully about this one. The last thing a company like yours needs right now is for somebody to come in and charge you a hefty bill for telling you what you probably already know.

I am not sceptical about bringing in outside consultants, especially if they are brought in to carry out a specific role for a defined period.

Often, a fresh perspective can add new impetus to a struggling outfit.

But you cannot buy success off the shelf, which is why, before spending lots of money on a consultant, you should have a look at your business yourself.

Ask yourself why it is failing. Is there still a market for the products and services you are selling? Are customer demands changing in this market? Have new competitors entered the market? Do you have the right people in place selling your products and services?

Your local Business Link might be able to provide some help here - speak to them and get all the free advice and guidance you can.

Then, if you still think you need it, you will be better placed to go to external consultants and tell them what it is you require of them.

Published: ??/??/2004