EMPLOYEES of the future will be less loyal but more demanding and will put their own quality of life issues first and their employer second.

That is the finding of a new survey by trend forecasters, The Future Laboratory.

It shows workers' attitudes to the workplace and their expectations about the world of work in the future.

Nearly half of those asked claimed to put themselves before their employers.

Quality of life outside of work was particularly important, with more than two thirds determined to negotiate their own working patterns, expecting their employers to be flexible enough to accommodate them.

Esther Ruggiero, Worcester -shire Businesswoman of the Year, believes this is the key to keeping staff loyal. She runs Droitwich company Train 4 Security with her husband Phil and employs 23 people.

She said: "People are starting to put more emphasis on their home life and to get the most out of employees, firms must recognise that.

"We offer as flexible working hours as possible. For example, we have one woman with children who just works during the day in term time," she said.

Another woman, a single parent, works from home as often as she can.

"As a result we have a loyal staff base and that can only be good for business."

While employers have traditionally valued experience and seniority, three out of four employees surveyed said they would rather be respected and rewarded on the basis of their talent.

Dolphin Computer Access, on the Blackpole Industrial Estate, said it placed great emphasis on rewarding workers.

Steve Hawkes, marketing manager, said: "We try to reward staff as often as we can with bonuses and days out to the cricket, or lunches.

"Then we have things we make the workplace comfortable, like free food and drink, and giving time off for personal issues.

"People are more demanding nowadays but I think if you create a good place to work, are seen to be fair, and treat staff consistently, then people will be more attracted to the organisation and staff more inclined to stay."