Brits are among the most bullied workers in the world - with a staggering seven in ten having been picked on by bosses or colleagues, a new study found.

More than a third, 36 per cent, have been driven to tears by cruel jibes, while 10 per cent have been physically attacked.

A quarter claim they have been bullied so badly it has affected their performance at work. In total, 71 per cent of the British workforce has been bullied.

A further 12 per cent say they have not been bullied themselves but have 'seen it happen to others', the study found. Sadly, that leaves just one in six completely unaffected by bullying.

Recruitment website Monster asked 16,517 workers in 53 countries: 'Have you ever been bullied at work?' Internationally, 7 per cent said they had been 'deliberately physically hurt' and 36 per cent said 'I've been driven to tears'.

A further 21 per cent admitted it had 'affected my performance'. In total 64 per cent of workers worldwide have been bullied. A staggering 83 percent of continental European respondents claim to have been physically or emotionally bullied. This compares with 65 percent in the Americas and 55 percent in Asia.

Spanish workers are the most likely to be physically attacked and Dutch workers the most likely to cry. Belgium reported the lowest rates of bullying at 38 percent.

Charles Purdy, from Monster, said: 'The survey results point to bullying in the workplace being alarmingly widespread. It is certainly a problem that should be on employers' radar.

'A bullying situation can affect employee morale and that can have a huge impact on a company's bottom line.

'Happy employees are productive employees, but employees who can't collaborate effectively with their peers are easily wooed away by competitors.

'There may be legal safeguards in place to protect employees from bullying behaviour.

'It's up to companies to broadcast these safeguards to their staff and to make sure they are vigilant about watching for signs of bullying and about maintaining a safe workplace.'

(Read by Lee Hannon. Lee Hannon is a journalist at the China Daily Website.)

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(Agencies)