Many employees are reluctant to ask for a pay rise

Three-fifths (61.3%) of employees in the UK haven't been given a pay rise in the last 12-18 months, according to research by CV-Library.

Of those who did get a pay rise, almost four in ten (38.6%) received an increase of up to 2%.

The survey of 1,200 UK professionals also revealed that nearly half (45.3%) of employees don't feel comfortable asking their existing employer for a higher salary, and almost a third (31.7%) admitted they wouldn't feel comfortable negotiating pay with a new employer.

The findings suggest that businesses risk being left in the dark by employees who are dissatisfied with their rate of pay, the jobs website said.

Lee Biggins, founder and chief executive of CV-Library, commented: "While it may be music to cost-conscious employers' ears that Brits are reluctant to negotiate pay, we can't ignore the fact that this is a huge influencing factor in people's decisions to join a company and stay with them.

"With Brexit causing many Brits to defer any plans they might have had to change up their careers, employers need to consider how a competitive salary will help them to attract home-grown talent."

Of the 49.6% of UK employees who have negotiated on a job offer, the majority (79.5%) claimed to have negotiated on salary, while others have negotiated on working hours (46.9%) and flexible working (29.1%).

This is not surprising, as work-life balance is a hot topic at the moment.

"Whilst salary is undeniably a big pull-factor, there's increasing pressure on businesses to offer more than just this. Our survey gives a good indication of what candidates are after in the current job market," Biggins added.

"However, part of being a top employer is listening to employees and showing that you understand their needs. If you can nail this, then you'll be on the right path to filling your job roles."