The body estimated that 199,000 people, or 10% of the national private workforce, moved jobs last year. In a survey of 1,000 people, the SFA extrapolated that 170,000 people left their jobs last year for reasons other than pay.

SFA director Patricia Callan said the survey shows that those people left their jobs because of "failure to get on with fellow employees and the style of management". She said management roles are now "far more complex" and that managers "need to provide training, coaching and support".

The association said the survey also showed that Irish workplace culture "suffers badly" from a lack of recognition for the contribution employees make. "Companies that respond to employee retention solely by increasing wages are only buying time, not loyalty, " said Callan.

The SFA also said about 40,000 people left jobs last year because of lack of advancement. "This highlights the need for continual training programmes within every business. It is no longer enough to offer people jobs ; employers must now offer people careers."