THINK YOUR BOSS is a bit of a slave-driver? Well it could be worse… a new study has found that Irish bosses are among the most easygoing in Europe.

The research by the Hay Group, which specialises in management consultancy, has found that senior managers in the UK and Ireland are supportive and collaborative, reports HR Magazine.

The study found that there’s a north-south divide in Europe when it comes to management styles, with authority the emphasis in the south, compared with a more democratic approach in the north.

The Wall Street Journal reports that 70,000 employees were asked to rate more that 14,000 managers in 27 countries over two years.

According to the study, almost half of Irish and UK managers create a positive working environment.

Russian and Ukrainian business leaders have been found to create a ‘high performing’ or ‘high energising’ environment, while Scandanavian, German, Swiss and Austrian managers also scored  highly.

Italian managers turned out to be the least likely to lead a democratic work environment, with France and Spain turning out similar results.