More than half of U.S. employers believe other companies are actively seeking to hire away their top people, according to a survey released today by Right Management, the workforce consulting and outplacement division of ManpowerGroup Inc. (NYSE: MAN). Fifty-six percent of CEOs and human resources professionals participating in the survey said other companies are trying to woo their top leaders.

“No organization today is immune from the stresses of effective retention or competitive recruitment,” said Michael Haid, senior vice president of talent management at Right Management. “CEOs and HR staff are right to feel enormously vulnerable and many are stressed seeking ways to hold onto their rising leadership.”

Meanwhile, 47 percent expressed doubts about the strength of their mid-level managers, and just 27 percent said their company has a sufficient number of qualified internal candidates that are ready to assume senior manager/executive positions.

More than 1,400 CEOs and HR professionals from more than 700 organizations participated in the survey.