A growing share of employees are staying in their current roles not because they want to, but because they feel they have to. A new ResumeBuilder survey found that 57% of workers now identify as “job huggers,” up from 45% just five months earlier — a sharp shift toward risk avoidance in career decisions.
The change indicates a workforce reacting to uncertainty rather than opportunity, with concerns about layoffs and AI reshaping job behavior across industries.
Fear, Not Loyalty, Is Driving Retention
Workers overwhelmingly say they remain in place due to perceived risk in moving. Among those staying put:
- 70% worry AI could affect their job security within six months
- 63% fear layoffs in that same timeframe
- Over 80% believe they would be first laid off if they joined a new company
Most don’t expect the behavior to end soon. 71% anticipate continuing to stay put for at least another six months, and many expect it to last one to two years.
This has significantly slowed mobility. Only a small minority are actively interviewing, while the majority are browsing passively or avoiding job searches altogether. Three-quarters say they would search more aggressively if the labor market strengthened.
Stability Comes With Tradeoffs
Remaining employed is increasingly treated as something workers must actively maintain.
More than half report working longer hours, and many are taking on additional responsibilities outside their roles. Others say they skipped time off, missed raises or promotions, or complied with return-to-office policies they otherwise would have resisted.
Employees are also trying to make themselves indispensable. Many are improving responsiveness, strengthening relationships with leadership, documenting achievements more visibly, and learning AI-related skills.
The result is a workforce simultaneously highly engaged and highly stressed. Over half describe themselves as engaged, yet nearly three-quarters report moderate to high workplace stress and many rate their mental health as only average or worse
The Future-of-Work Impact: A Frozen Talent Market
The data points to a transition in how retention should be interpreted. Lower turnover no longer necessarily signals satisfaction; it can reflect market anxiety.
For employers, this creates a temporary stability that may not last. Workers say they would move for better pay, benefits, growth opportunities, or remote work once conditions improve.
For the labor market, it means fewer voluntary departures, slower hiring cycles, and delayed career mobility — not because jobs fit better, but because risk tolerance has collapsed.
