The U.S. workforce is heading into 2026 divided almost evenly between those looking to move jobs and those choosing to stay put. New findings from Zety’s 2026 Job Search Split Report show a labor market shaped less by confidence and more by caution.
Based on a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. workers, 47% plan to look for a new job in 2026, while 53% say they intend to remain in their current roles. The split reflects a workforce pulled by the promise of higher pay and growth, but held back by concerns about job security, slower hiring, and fewer good options.
Nearly Half of Workers Are Preparing to Job Hunt
Among workers planning a move in 2026, intentions vary in urgency:
- 27% are actively searching now
- 20% plan to begin searching later in the year
The motivation is largely financial. Forty percent of respondents said higher pay is the main reason they would leave their current job, followed by better benefits (22%) and stronger growth opportunities (17%). Remote and flexible work remains a factor, but it ranks behind compensation.
Notably, many workers are willing to trade flexibility for money. Nearly three-quarters said they would accept a full-time return to the office if it came with a 20% pay increase.
What it signals: Financial pressure is outweighing lifestyle preferences for a large share of the workforce, even among employees who value flexibility.
Stability Is Holding the Other Half in Place
While many workers want more, just as many are choosing not to take the risk. Among those staying in their current roles, only about a quarter cite true job satisfaction as the reason.
Others are staying because of uncertainty:
- 12% don’t expect to find better pay or benefits elsewhere
- 9% believe jobs in their field are limited
- 8% worry about losing remote work
- 4% fear they would be first laid off if they switched employers
Recent raises or promotions also play a role for a small share of workers.
Staying put doesn’t mean disengaged. For many, it’s a calculated decision to avoid risk in an unpredictable hiring environment.
Workers Are Bracing for a Tougher Job Market
Underlying both decisions is a lack of confidence in the labor market itself.
- 67% expect job searching to be difficult in 2026
- 56% believe it will take longer to land a job than it did in 2025
- 53% think the job market will weaken for workers overall
Concerns cited include higher unemployment, fewer openings, and stagnant wages.
Even motivated workers are hesitating, unsure whether better opportunities will materialize fast enough to justify a move.
A Year of Careful Moves, Not Mass Resignations
The data points to a workforce in wait-and-see mode. Workers want better pay, benefits, and growth, but many are unwilling to gamble stability to get it.
For employers, 2026 may bring uneven turnover rather than broad churn. Some teams could see sudden exits driven by pay pressure, while others remain stable as employees choose caution over change.
The defining trait of the year ahead may be hesitation.
