The beginning of any year is often a time when disillusioned employees look at moving on but according to research by the Learning and Skills Council the majority of staff would prefer to improve their current role.
The survey found that 54% of respondents would be happy to stay in their current positions than look for a new job if they felt they had the opportunity to progress.
Almost half (46%) said that training would make them more likely to stay put, with the same number saying it would make them more motivated and 45% thinking they would feel more valued. But only 45% were likely to raise the issue with their employer.
Of those companies who did train their staff, four in 10 reported an increase in staff retention, the research added.
But an earlier report by the Department for Education and Skills, now the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS), found that less than 1% of employers thought increasing training would encourage staff retention or morale, suggesting employers are out of touch with the impact training can have on staff motivation.
"This research reveals a clear need for employers to change their attitude to training if they are to reduce staff turnover and boost morale," said Jaine Clarke, director of skills for employers at the Learning and Skills Council.
"We would also encourage employees to take their future into their own hands and ask their employers about training before taking the step of finding a new job."
LSC offers the Train to Gain service, which offers businesses the chance to get advice from a skills broker to identify their skills need.
Last year the government announced a doubling in funding as part of an £11bn a year investment in education and training.
Almost 65,000 employers and 320,000 employees have used the service since its introduction in August 2006.
