UK IT market is in danger of losing a huge portion of its workforce to overseas rivals as companies fail to evoke staff loyalty.

Almost two-thirds (66 per cent) of IT staff are looking for employment opportunities outside the UK, according to a survey of 4,967 UK professionals by recruitment firm Computer People.

In the UK, staff with Cobol skills attracted the best rates of pay, earning an annual average salary of £41,870.

Cisco skills were at the bottom of the scale, with employees earning an average of £32,320 per year.

This compares with the overall, full-time sector average of £35,160. Across the industry, the single largest pay bracket is £40,000 to £50,000, with 15 per cent of IT staff remunerated at that level.

“It’s easy to throw money at a problem, but firms must do more than offer good salaries. Employers shouldn’t look at their staff as just a skill set, they need to invest in their people and in developing their careers,” said Nick Dettmar, managing director of Computer People.

The majority of respondents (87 per cent) were willing to move to a new job if the opportunity arose, with 39 per cent actively looking and 48 per cent saying they are “keeping a lookout.”

And 27 per cent expected to move within three months.

UK firms need to make sure they are offering their employees broader incentives to stay, said Dettmar.

“The decision to change jobs is often driven by the employee’s desire to keep their skills up to date ­ the key one being down to the pace at which the industry is moving,” he said.

And the development of the global workforce opens up opportunities outside the UK, said Dettmar.