The number of resignations among UK workers has increased in the past year, according to data from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) and employment law service XpertHR.

The data collected from 43,312 individuals in 197 organisations reveals resignations levels stand at 4.7%, compared with 4.5% last year. ‘Internal transfers’ appear to be failing as an alternative option to leaving for workers, dropping to 3.6% from 5.8% last year.

More than half (53.8%) of employers said restructuring and job insecurity caused many of their staff to ‘jump ship’, while 38.5% disclosed that their failure to offer career opportunities and training contributed to employees leaving and 61.5% also admitted that their employees’ heads had been turned by headhunters and recruiters.

Ruth Spellman, chief executive of the CMI, says: “A year ago employers were looking at job transfers as a way of halting growth of the dole queue.  However, with the latest figures showing that staff are prepared to run the risk of unemployment by jumping ship, questions must be asked about employee engagement levels in organisations up and down the country.”