UNHAPPY workers are costing their employers £40 million a day by wasting time, according to a new study.

Research by careers advice service learndirect showed that almost one in three workers daydream every day or spend time trying to find another job.

Many of the 1,000 people surveyed complained they are in a dead end job, spend too much time behind a desk or are poorly paid.

More than one in three said they waste 25 minutes every day chatting to friends, daydreaming, surfing the internet or looking for a new job.

Gareth Dent of learndirect said: "This research uncovers a significant number of people who want to change their career but don't know where to start and, with nearly one in 20 people admitting that their dissatisfaction has got worse in the last year, it's a worrying trend.

"However, it seems people know what they want in a job - getting on with colleagues, doing something worthwhile and being challenged top the wish list - which is really positive."

Director of Smart Recruitment Helen Stacey added: "I can quite believe the figures that one in three people daydream while at work or even worse actually search for another job.

"In our experience at Smart Recruitment most people are searching our website for jobs between working hours.

"It is imperative that employers take this research seriously and perhaps look at implementing an email and website policy document, detailing when employees can look at personal websites such as job sites, social networking sites or holiday sites, for instance before working hours, during the lunch period of between 12pm and 2pm and after work.

"This would at least restrict the amount of time that employers are paying staff to daydream."