British workers are increasingly disloyal and dissatisfied with their lot, and would jump ship to a rival employee for as little as £100 extra a month, according to a survey.
The study by HR consultancy Rialto has found that, of 400 workers polled, more than two-thirds would leave their present job if they were offered £5,000 in cash.
But this rose to 83 per cent when asked about what would tempt them a competitor, with the answer being £2,000, or the equivalent of £100 a month extra in their paypacket.
The majority of workers – 71 per cent – were unhappy in their present careers, and 76 per cent said they would seriously consider a change if age and money were not factors.
More than half said they would be happy to move abroad if they could support themselves financially.
Among Londoners, 69 per cent said they would take a £10,000 pay cut if it meant they could avoid the capital's transport system when commuting to work.
Nearly three quarters also said they would welcome the opportunity to take a sabbatical and a quarter said they felt uninterested in their employer's business.
Richard Chiumento, Rialto chief executive, said increasing levels of debt and a lack of day-to-day cash could be a factor in people being prepared to leave to extra money, but it was also a sign that workers were worryingly disengaged from their bosses.
"UK businesses need to work harder to engage their employees. Many companies are not providing sufficient motivation or a personally rewarding environment within which to make a valued contribution.
"Many employees feel less loyal and increasingly trapped in careers due to their personal financial situation," he added.
The Rialto survey echoes a study by the Social Affairs Unit, published earlier this month, that suggested dishonesty and anti-social behaviour in the workplace have become "rife".
Loyalty was a two-way street, it added, with employers who showed their staff little loyalty expecting less in return.