More than half of Europeans would quit their jobs over training and development, a new survey reveals.

The poll of 600 employers and 8,500 employees from 10 European countries by consultancy Watson Wyatt, found that 52% of respondents would quit if they felt that they were not getting enough training and development.

And it seems that staff in the UK are among the most likely to jump ship, with 40% saying they were likely to consider leaving their employer in the next 12 months - 5% more than the European average.

The research also showed that career development/promotion opportunities were a key factor in positive employee behaviour and commitment levels, this was followed by increased flexibility and pay-for-performance.

Carole Hathaway, senior consultant at Watson Wyatt said: "The reasons why people think about leaving an organisation differ greatly from the reasons they give when they actually leave. Our survey also shows the disparity between employer and employee reporting on departure, which sends out a warning to employers about the clarity and effectiveness of their reward and retention strategies."