In a poll conducted by Video Arts, a learning content specialist, British and US workers differed on what made a ‘nightmare boss’.

The poll showed that candidates from the UK felt David Brent from The Office (played by Ricky Gervais) was the worst but US candidates felt Miranda Priestley, from The Devil Wears Prada (played by Meryl Streep) portrayed a bad boss better.

Martin Addison, CEO of Video Arts, commented: “500 years ago, Machiavelli posed the question of whether it is better to be loved or feared as a leader. Interestingly, when asked who they would least like to work for, British workers chose a boss who strives to be loved by those around him, whereas US workers opted for someone who wants to be feared … Machiavelli claimed that it is desirable to be both loved and feared as a leader but he acknowledged that this is difficult to achieve. Above all, he said, a leader should strive to avoid being hated … There’s a lesson in that for every boss.”