Fears about job security are stopping people from moving jobs, according to a report.

More than two-thirds of UK professionals (71 per cent) have admitted that fears around job security are preventing them from changing jobs, global recruiter Robert Walters revealed following a poll.

The recruitment firm is warning that ‘hanging onto a job’ which no longer serves your career could not only be detrimental to the economy but also to careers.

More than three-quarters (76 per cent) said security was a concern when considering a new role, with 16 per cent admitting that fears around new job security had stopped them from applying for a new role.

The poll revealed that 77 per cent of UK professionals would now prioritise job security over pay – with 16 per cent admitting this was only something that ‘crossed their mind’ recently.

And 74 per cent of UK employers have said prospective employees now bring up the topic of ‘job security’ during the hiring process.

Forty-three per cent of professionals said the state of the economy played a ‘significant role’ in their decision on whether to move roles – with inflation (22 per cent), unemployment rates (18 per cent), and GDP growth (four per cent) being primary considerations.