According to a report on 500 key decision-makers from recruitment consultancy Harvey Nash, 49% of employers are concerned their highly skilled staff will soon be looking for career opportunities abroad.
A third (33%) are finding it difficult to recruit skilled UK candidates and 40% are worried about their ability to retain skilled staff.
Almost three quarters (72%) blame the rising cost of living for UK employees seeking job opportunities overseas.
Just under a third (30%) think greater job satisfaction and career prospects are the key to keeping UK staff in the UK, followed by salary (29%) and work-life balance (25%).
Albert Ellis, CEO of Harvey Nash, said: "We have a wealth of knowledge, experience and skill in the UK that needs to be nurtured and developed for the future success of the British economy.
"As the economic climate continues to deteriorate and redundancies loom large for many, employers cannot be complacent about available talent. If we don't act fast to keep highly skilled talent by boosting job satisfaction and career opportunities, we run the risk of conceding our competitive edge to other countries."
UK talent seeks opportunities abroad
The UK labour market is struggling to retain home-grown talent
