Employers could show more interest in staff rostering systems and other tools to improve staff wellbeing after research showed a steady decline in job satisfaction in the private sector.

According to a survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and software provider Halogen, current levels of job satisfaction in private companies are lower than in the winter 2012-13 period and spring this year.

The study also found that 62 per cent of employees who feel dissatisfied are actively looking for a new job, compared with ten per cent of those who are satisfied.

Seven out of ten (71 per cent) disengaged workers are seeking out fresh opportunities, according to the report, while only nine per cent of those engaged in their work are looking for a career change.

Looking at the workforce as a whole, the CIPD found that 24 per cent of employees in the private and voluntary sectors and 23 per cent in the public sector are on the hunt for new jobs.

Less than a quarter (24 per cent) of respondents said their organisation had implemented a recruitment freeze, down from 28 per cent earlier this year and 29 per cent at the end of 2012.

Claire McCartney, research adviser at the CIPD, said talent is "on the move again", suggesting that workers are starting to feel less anxious about job security.

"However, this should also signal a warning to employers to up their game when it comes to retaining key talent – if they aren't monitoring their employees' progression and providing opportunities to talk about career development, they may well risk losing some of their most talented workers, who might well vote with their feet and take advantage of a somewhat improved labour market outlook," she added.

Previous research from the CIPD suggested that some senior managers are "in denial" about low levels of trust in their organisations.