Although I have had my moments, I had until this point never been truly unhappy wherever I worked. I always had disagreements, but largely I have been happy with my role, my colleagues and myself. However, that has changed considerably in the last 11 weeks and it is getting to the stage that I sometimes feel like feigning illness to avoid going to work.

Whether I like it or not, a job is fundamentally important to one's wellbeing, because so much time is being spent in it. And although there are many different types of jobs out there, I believe a good working envronment is built on some fundamental principles

* The role and the tasks that you need to accomplish are broadly defined, but in a manner that allows the details of their accomplishment to be defined by the individual

* That there is a relative sense of autonomy in the accomplishment of these goals, and that the achievement of the goals is recognized and rewarded;

* That you appreciate and respect your colleagues, and vice versa, hopefully having some fun along the way

When you join a company, it is based the current view of that company- its success, its people and so on. And as with all things in life, companies change rapidly, and in doing so the dynamic of the company can also change. Departments change, people leave, people arrive, and when the pack is shuffled the company that you bought into suddenly feels different- is different.

Until recently, largely because my line manager was absent for weeks at a time, I just got on with the job and was free to make those decisions, without much scrutiny. And I guess that autonomy spoilt me, I got accustomed to making big decisions. The department has always had stress, but it also had camaraderie, and we had fun doing it but we all pulled together when it was necessary to do so.

11 weeks ago, a new Head of Department joined, and she has managed to undermine morale and make people feel unhappy. Her key strength is upwards management, i.e. she is an expert at managing her boss, and that is her core skill. She will not anyone in the department now communicate upwards, and she controls everything. As good as she is upwards, she is a terrible downward manager, often making decisions impusively without consulting the team, she has a selective memory in what she communicates.

Her manner is also aggressive, and her choice of words are dispiriting. I do not like being in the same room as her as a result, and she will not communicate with me for days- and then all of a sudden I get hit with 30 emails, all to be done yesterday. It means my work is constantly reactive and I never accomplish the things I had set out to do. The tasks I do get could be undertaken by a zoo monkey.

I am now looking for a new job, which is a shame but the only way to get back on track is to have the thrill of a new challenge and take it from there.