In a rapidly changing job market, it’s not necessarily good for workers to cling to their current employment
After all the employee protests over the past few years – the “great resignations”, the “quiet quittings”, the “bare-minimum Mondays” and “coffee badgings” – we have finally arrived at “job hugging”.
Amid all the economic uncertainty and the rising costs of everything, people aren’t feeling as confident as they once were. Instead of slacking off while you hunt for something better, everyone’s scared about losing their jobs. With all the news about big corporate layoffs and the ominous and still-undefined threat of AI, it’s understandable that people are hugging their jobs.
A recent report from job search site Monster.com found that nearly half of employed workers say they’re currently staying in their roles longer than they otherwise might, for comfort, security or stability, with three-quarters expecting to remain in the same job for at least two more years.
“Workers are holding on tighter than ever, but not because they’re complacent,” said Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster. “It’s because they’re cautious. Job security and stability have become emotional safety nets. The new loyalty is about survival, not necessarily satisfaction.”
