More than half the UK workforce (52%) has changed career at least once, with one in five of us having done so three times, according to research released today. The figures reveal the extent to which a new generation of ‘career nomads’ is appearing, regardless of sex or age.

The research, from business psychology experts OPP, is the latest proof that the days of a ‘job for life’ are long dead and buried. Nearly half of us (44%) seriously intend to change career in future, with the figure rising to 60% for 20-somethings. Age is apparently no barrier to the workplace blues either, with a startling one in five (20%) of those in their 60s still intending to change career before retirement.

Unsurprisingly, money is one of the main drivers for these career nomads: 47% of those that have changed career previously have done so for a bigger pay packet.

But many people feel that they simply aren’t suited to their current career, with one in three (33%) not feeling sufficiently challenged and nearly as many (30%) not interested in what they’re doing. Despite these grievances, only 3% of people sought professional advice on what career would suit them best when deciding to change.

Lucy McGee, head of marketing at OPP comments: “Employees are not only jumping from company to company, but from career to career. While the growing opportunity for change and a new beginning is to be welcomed, the volume and frequency of moves shows more and more of us aren’t satisfied in our work and are constantly on the lookout for the next opportunity.

“This goes very much to the heart of career satisfaction – money will always be a driver, of course, but a significant amount of us aren’t engaged with our jobs or challenged in what we do. As recruitment costs continue to rise for employers, careful thought clearly needs to be put into hiring the people best suited for a particular role or career and ensuring they remain motivated. There are a number of accurate and proven methods that can achieve this, many of which have become very accessible for employers at all levels.”