Fed up with feeling harassed and intimidated at work? If a new poll is to be believed, then move to the Netherlands for an abuse-free work environment. But avoid working in Hungary at all costs.
It's not just long working hours, repetitive tasks and long meetings that get us down. According to a new poll by Monster.com, a disturbingly high proportion of worker across Europe feel that they singled-out, humiliated and intimidated at work.
In the UK, for example, two-thirds of the 3,500 employees surveyed claim to have been bullied at work. Women in the UK also seem to face more workplace harassment than men, with over 35 per cent suffering, often in silence, from abuse in the office compared to 32 per cent of men.
Only one in five (21 per cent) of British men (737 votes) and little more than one in 10 women (12 per cent) said that they had never experienced workplace bullying.
However the situation is even worse in Hungary, which topped of the list three-quarters of workers saying they have suffered from bullying in the office.
In contrast, the Netherlands stands out as the safest country for an abuse-free work environment, with almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of respondents claiming they had not dealt with any form of bullying.
A third of Dutch men also claimed that their work place is the most non-abusive amongst all regions, a belief that is also mirrored in the findings for women.
The Monster Poll also found that while women tend to suffer marginally more from bullying (31 per cent of women compared to 29 per cent of men), bullying at work is not biased towards one gender over another.
Across Europe, Irish women suffer the greatest amount of bullying, with over 45 per cent claiming that they have suffered from office abuse. On the other hand, men in Germany face the greatest back-hand of bullying with 38 per cent, whilst both Italian and Swiss men come in a close second (36 per cent).
The issue of bullying is often dismissed in the workplace. However, recent research from the TUC in November 2005 reported that two million Britons had been bullied at work during the last six months and UK businesses lose 18 million working days a year as a result.
"Employers are responsible for a worker's health, safety and welfare while at work and should provide an atmosphere where people can get on with their job," said Alan Townsend, Chief Operating Officer, Monster UK and Ireland.
"All companies should ensure they have clear policies and procedures for employees that are followed through by management. This can then prevent potentially dangerous outcomes such as poor workplace morale, lost productivity, litigation and health costs."