More than half of UK employees are working unpaid overtime and, of these, one in five is putting in 25 additional hours a week without pay.

According to Ceridian, despite the fact 49% of staff have either taken a pay cut or a pay freeze because of the recession, 71% plan to stay with their current employer when the upturn comes - although of these, 29% are only doing so because of lack of alternative opportunities.

But after the recession more than two thirds (69%) of staff think they should be rewarded for their loyalty, with 65% requiring financial reward. More than a third (39%) would prefer a pay rise to a cash bonus (26%).

The news comes as recruitment website Hirescores.com reports 25% of employees are not prepared to take their full holiday entitlement so they can "look good to their bosses".

Jeremy Campbell, director of HR outsourcing at Ceridian, said: "It seems that employers who can offer security and stability, rather than the possibility of bonuses, will be in the best position to attract and retain key talent when the upturn arrives."