More than 44% of managers claimed to have been bullied in the last year (including 12% of senior managers), according to a major survey of experiences of work among 2,300 people.

The 24-7 survey, carried out by the Work Life Balance Centre alongside Coventry University, found:

• large differences in occurrences of bullying by sector, with bullying most likely in telecoms, IT, engineering, transport and HE; and least likely in business services, schools, manufacturing and retail

• bullies are most likely to be found in the South West, Yorkshire/Humberside and Greater London; and are least likely in Wales, the South East and West Midlands

• employees at organisations with between 250-1000 or over 5000 staff claim to have been most affected

• 12% of people reported being bullied by other colleagues rather than by a manager.

Other findings:

• Men were just as likely as women to be sexually harassed by their manager.

• One in five workers viewed their managers as inconsistent and secretive. Those in the public sector were most likely to see their managers as demotivating, controlling, reactive, inaccessible and inconsistent. More workers in the private sector viewed their managers as inspirational, empowering, open and caring.

• Transport and telecommunications workers were also among the most likely to be racially or sexually harassed.

• Around three quarters of workers derived great satisfaction from doing a good job, and 18% even said they felt depressed when not busy at work.

Denise Skinner, professor of Human Resource Management at Coventry University

“In looking at the issues of bullying and racial and sexual harassment we found the vast majority of instances to go unreported, which is a situation that needs to be improved. Younger workers, and those in the industry sectors we have identified, seem especially vulnerable and more needs to be done to ensure they feel able to come forward and speak out about what has happened."