By Lee Hui Chieh

COMPANIES here may face a brain drain if they do not repay the 'sweat debt' - or employees' sacrifices - that they chalked up during the recession, a global consultancy firm warned yesterday.

About two in three workers said they would not stay in their companies for more than five years, the Hay Group's poll of more than 25,000 employees here between January and July found.

This is higher than the about three in five who said so in a similar survey last year.

About three in 10 employees said that they felt frustrated and detached from their work.

This was again more than the number who felt so last year, said Dr Steven Choo, regional director of Hay Group's research arm, Hay Group Insight.

The growing frustration stems from employees feeling stretched and putting in longer hours after co-workers were retrenched in the recession, with no promise of any reward at the end, he explained.

'These figures indicate that companies may soon face a talent exodus as soon as the economy strengthens, if nothing is done to reward and recognise the 'sweat debt' that employers have accumulated over the last year,' he said.

Companies seem to be willing to invest to retain their employees, Hay Group added.

It found, in another survey of more than 265 companies here last month, that companies plan to raise salaries by a median of 2.3 per cent, up from 1.5 per cent in March this year.

They also said that they would probably increase salaries by 3 per cent next year.

'But money isn't everything,' Dr Choo said.

Companies should invest in training to develop employees' potential and careers, so that they will see the value of staying on, he said.

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