The Great Resignation has given way to an unexpected countermovement. Nearly half of employed workers are now staying in jobs longer than they otherwise would, driven not by satisfaction but by fear. Welcome to the era of job hugging.
According to Monster’s 2025 Job Hugging Report, 48% of workers admit they’re clinging to their current roles primarily for comfort and security. Three-quarters expect to remain in the same position for at least two more years. This marks a fundamental shift in workplace psychology: comfort has overtaken ambition as the primary driver of career decisions.
The Numbers Behind the Stagnation
The voluntary quit rate in the United States has hovered around 1.9% throughout 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Outside the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic, levels haven’t been this consistently low since early 2016.
The contrast with recent history is stark. During 2021 and 2022, workers job-hopped at historic rates, leveraging a tight labour market to secure better pay and conditions. Today’s workers face a drastically different landscape. The ratio of job openings per unemployed worker has fallen by approximately half since March 2022, reaching roughly 1:1 by June 2025.
Monster’s research reveals 59% of workers believe job hugging is more prevalent in 2025 than a year ago. Two-thirds expect the trend to strengthen by 2026. This isn’t temporary behaviour, it’s a fundamental recalibration of risk tolerance across the workforce.
Why Workers Are Holding On for Dear Life
Pay and benefits remain the primary driver, cited by 27% of job huggers. Job security follows closely at 26%. But beneath these practical concerns lies deeper anxiety about an uncertain labour market.
Executive search consultants at Korn Ferry describe workers as holding onto jobs “for dear life.” Stacy DeCesaro, managing consultant at the firm, told Fortune that constant layoffs and organisational upheaval have created a workforce sitting in seats and hoping for stability.
Economic uncertainty compounds the problem. Policy shifts, tariff concerns and rising living costs have made workers increasingly pragmatic. An Associated Press poll found over half of Americans cite grocery costs as a major stress factor. When basic living expenses feel precarious, career risks become unconscionable.
Artificial intelligence’s rapid advancement adds another layer of uncertainty. Workers fear job displacement but lack confidence they could find alternative employment quickly enough. This creates a psychological trap: stay put and risk obsolescence, or jump ship into a market that may not value your skills.
The Hidden Cost of Staying Put
Job hugging carries significant drawbacks for individual workers. Monster’s data shows 27% feel “stuck” and less satisfied in their roles. Another 26% worry about missing higher pay elsewhere, whilst 25% cite burnout from lack of change and limited advancement opportunities.
The organisational impact may prove even more damaging. Employee disengagement cost the world economy $438 billion in lost productivity in 2024, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace report. Global engagement fell from 23% in 2023 to 21% in 2024—only the second decline in 12 years.
Amanda Czepiel, HR legal expert at Brightmine, warns that low turnover masks fundamental problems.
Critically, job huggers aren’t disengaged by choice. They’re motivated enough to stay but not enough to thrive. Workers may still be physically present, but they’re not bringing the creativity or discretionary effort that drives innovation.
The phenomenon of “quiet cracking” employees reaching breaking points and mentally checking out, is spreading. Workers who feel trapped in roles experience higher stress levels, take more sick days, and actively undermine organisational progress.
Leadership Crisis Fuels Workplace Anxiety
CEO turnover reached its highest level since 2002, with 1,504 departures through August 2025, a 4% increase from the prior year, according to Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Some workers have reported operating under three different company presidents in 18 months.
This revolving door at the top exacerbates employee discomfort. Workers struggle to align around visions that may walk out the door before key goals materialise. The rise of interim CEO appointments, 33% of new CEOs in the first half of 2025 compared to 9% the previous year, signals that even organisations cannot commit to stable leadership.
For employees already anxious about their futures, leadership instability compounds risk aversion. If the C-suite itself operates on a “gig economy” model, why should workers take career gambles?
The Quiet Before the Storm
Workplace experts warn that job hugging represents pent-up demand, not genuine retention. DeCesaro predicts another Great Resignation once market conditions improve: “There’s a lot of pent-up demand of like, ‘I’ve been miserable here for a while, but I’ve just been waiting for a better opportunity or a better market to move.'”
The Eagle Hill Consulting Employee Retention Index supports this forecast. The index fell 6.2 points in January 2025; its largest drop in two years. Organisational confidence declined 4.5 points, whilst culture ratings hit their lowest levels. Compensation concerns surged, dropping 7.9 points.
These aren’t workers building loyalty, they’re biding time. Once opportunities materialise elsewhere, organisations that haven’t addressed fundamental workplace issues will face mass departures.
What Leaders Must Do Now
HR executives cannot afford to celebrate low turnover as stability. Jamie Aitken, vice president of HR transformation at Betterworks, frames job hugging as a survival response. “Survival mode is bad for performance,” she notes. “If companies don’t create momentum internally, employees stagnate—and that hurts performance, morale and retention when the market does heat up again.”
The solution requires transparent communication, genuine development opportunities, and giving employees a sense of forward motion. Gallup research shows manager engagement drives 70% of team engagement variance. Yet only 44% of managers globally have received formal management training.
Organisations should focus on creating internal pathways for growth rather than assuming job huggers are content. Provide transparent goals, real-time feedback and clarity on performance. Even workers staying longer need to build skills, stay motivated and see progress aligned with company objectives.
What We Can Learn
Job hugging isn’t about employee loyalty or workplace satisfaction. It’s about fear masquerading as stability. Workers are making rational calculations based on perceived risk, not choosing their current employers over alternatives.
For organisations, this moment offers both warning and opportunity. Addressing engagement gaps, investing in manager development, and creating genuine growth pathways will determine which companies retain talent when the market inevitably shifts. Those treating low turnover as validation rather than investigating what’s beneath the surface will pay dearly when workers finally feel safe enough to leave.
The question isn’t whether another wave of resignations is coming. It’s whether your organisation will be prepared when it does.
