These were two of the key messages to emerge from a breakfast seminar held by Kelly Services in the City of London last week.

Drawing on the results of Kelly Services Global Workforce Index survey, which found that following the recession, more than one in four (28%) of UK employees felt more loyal to their organisation, Calvin Cox, marketing manager at manager at Kelly Services, said the reality was more complex. “There is a big difference between those who feel loyal and those who are trapped,” he said.

The survey found that those workers who are less loyal to their employer following the economic downturn cited as reasons: poor management; low company morale; and poor communication.

Lisa Blinkhorne, head of HR at contact centre company Converso, said that competitors were enticing some staff with higher salaries.

However, the grass wasn’t always greener, she said, as the staff found they weren’t getting the same level of responsibility as they enjoyed at Converso. “Offering more money is often covering the cracks,” added Shane Green, UK operations manager at Kelly Services.

Gerry Peyton, director of HRplus at law firm Hammonds, said that line mangers were often afraid to discuss salaries with employees who might be wanting to move because they lacked detailed information about salary levels. They also lacked detailed information about jobs, which might pay more than the staff member’s current job, but actually involved working longer hours or involved a greater commute or other lifestyle changes. Peyton said it was important to understand what motivated individuals to apply to and to remain with your organisation, as different groups held different attitudes.

The survey found that in the UK, for example, following the recession, 30% of ’Gen Y’ said they were more loyal, compared to 25% of Gen X and just 22% of Baby Boomers.