Some 12 per cent say their boss has displayed inappropriate behaviour in the last year, with behaviour consisting of bad language, bullying, lying and breaching confidentiality.

One in ten say they suffer under real life ‘David Brent’ equivalents, with inappropriate behaviour rife amongst Britain’s workplaces, according to an independent survey of workers commissioned by management consultancy Inspiring Business Performance (IBP).

More people have taken action as a result of the boss’s bad behaviour than not, including 13 per cent seeking another job and a further 4 per cent quitting without a new job to go to.

The survey also reveals that badly-behaved bosses can have a real and financial impact of profitability with employees less productive – 10 per cent of workers purposely disrupt the workplace and 8 per cent admit they take ‘sickies’ as a result of badly-behaved bosses. 

Scots and Londoners report the highest number of impeccable and well-behaved leaders, compared to South West England which has the lowest number behaving well and the highest considered bad or despicable. 

John Telfer, IBP managing director says that while not every boss in the country is bad there are clearly ‘a good number of rotten apples’ as well as people that need more help to be a good boss. 

‘While it’s fun to make comparisons between badly-behaved managers and well known characters, the reality is less funny. There’s a financial cost that shouldn’t be ignored as workers become less productive. 

‘Measuring bosses behaviour and its impact on the bottom line is vital for companies looking to maintain profitability and growth in the future.’