UK businesses may face huge staff turnover problems over the next three years as links between employees and employers are becoming increasingly stretched, according to Adecco.

It found that existing attrition rates show 45% of employees expect to change employers over the next three years, but existing gaps in employee management suggest this figure could increase.

It found that on average it takes seven weeks to replace an employee once they have left the organisation. Five weeks for standard employees and rising to 15 weeks for management positions and above.

The research discovered that 64% of HR directors believe line managers should be the primary source of employee motivation, however only 18% of employees agree. Employees reject the idea of external motivators, with six out of ten believing they alone are responsible for their own motivation.