Eighty-eight per cent of HR directors agree that the workforce of the future will be less loyal than past generations.

According to the findings, HR directors also feel powerless to improve matters – just 20 per cent considered they have sufficient initiatives in place to address the issues.

Employer brand is cited as a key area in the battle for retention – in 60 per cent of organisations it is driven by HR and marketing. Yet confidence in how it is being managed is poor – just over half said it works well.

In further bad news for HR, whilst corporate social responsibility issues have soared to the top of the agenda with 92 per cent or respondents placing it as a key issue for employer brand, just a fifth said their employer brand is aligned to the business objectives. This shows a disparity between what employers promise the job and values of the company will be like and what the reality is.

Attracting staff is also a problem. Whilst 76 per cent said they have buy-in from the top over resourcing strategy this doesn’t ease the problem of skills shortages. Just over half anticipate plugging the gaps with overseas workers. Under a quarter anticipate hedging all their bets on the internet for attracting workers.

Anne Riley, managing director of survey authors, Penna recruitment communications, said: “Companies that want to compete for this new generation of candidates must think creatively and comprehensively. Employees are increasingly sceptical of corporate messages and management speak. If the role and the workplace culture don’t match up to expectations, they are not afraid to jump ship, whether to a more rewarding employer or to start their own business.

“Once they have left, these disillusioned ‘leapers’’ will have few qualms about sharing their negative experiences and disputing alleged brand values. In the internet age such ‘word of mouth’ dialogue has far wider repercussions than ever before.”