Businesses need to raise awareness of bullying in the workplace and managers should be trained to deal with situations, a charity says.
Key people, such as harassment advisers and investigators, need to be put in place to help prevent torment, according to the Andrea Adams Trust.
Research by the organisation, which focuses on bullying behaviour, shows 60 per cent of employees think bullying affects their work and 51 per cent have taken time off as a result of being attacked.
Lyn Witheridge, chief executive of the Andrea Adams Trust, said people need to acknowledge they are being bullied and have the courage to say something.
"Organisations are, everyday, revising policies and procedures to give employees a route to air grievances, but policies and procedures are just written words," she added.
The research also shows the most cited effects of bullying are worrying about going to work, lower self-esteem and a decrease in self-confidence.