Morale among IT contractors and other UK workers is slipping because too much is being asked of them, it is claimed.

The latest report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has shown that job satisfaction remains low, falling one per cent in the last quarter, compared with spring 2009.

This news comes as no surprise to Mike Petrook, head of public affairs at the Chartered Management Institute, who claims that with people being made redundant and not being replaced, those that are left are being overworked.

With more pressure and fewer resources, job satisfaction will naturally fall, Mr Petrook explains.

He added: "I don't see this as a surprise. To help this employee engagement must be tackled.

"To help this employee engagement must be tackled. What we would say is the way to do this is for employers to better communicate."

A recent report from Friends Provident has highlighted that higher salaries and benefits are not enough to keep the modern worker satisfied.