What 'Job Hugging' Tells Us About Today’s Workforce

Nov 13, 2025 • 5 Min Read

Source:
Freepik

The hidden cost of complacency

If there’s one thing this era of uncertainty teaches us, it’s that almost everything carries a paradox. Take ‘job hugging’ for instance, a term often used to describe employees holding onto their positions for dear life. It reminds us that higher retention isn’t always a good sign.

At first glance, this might sound like a relief for employers. The ‘job-hopping’ trend has reversed, and people are staying put. But many are staying not out of passion or purpose, but fear of layoffs, AI disruption, and a shrinking pool of opportunities.

Anxiety has replaced ambition. In their effort to stay safe, they avoid anything that might draw unwanted attention. The danger for employers lies in the hidden cost of this complacency. The fear of losing talent to competitors has been replaced by the more complex problem of retaining stuck talent.

For leaders, this moment should be a wake-up call. It’s when we ask, why are they staying? Are they motivated and supported—or simply waiting for better options? In too many organisations, loyalty is often invisible until it disappears.

Loyalty by Default

It’s easy to mistake presence for loyalty. An employee may show up, meet deadlines, and still feel entirely disconnected. This feeling is amplified in the age of job hugging.

Glassdoor reported that 65% of employees felt ‘stuck’ in their current positions during the last quarter of 2024–when the trend began gaining traction. With fewer alternatives in the market, staying in one’s job can lead to a kind of workplace cabin fever—one that quietly drains motivation and harms company culture.

The challenge for employers today isn’t just to retain people, but to reignite them.

Source: Freepik

The bitter truth is that many organisations have grown too comfortable with passive loyalty. We take comfort in high retention, without asking what that retention is made of. We celebrate stability, even when it’s silence. We praise commitment, even when it’s fear.

But fear doesn’t just make people stay—it also shapes how they stay. When loyalty turns into survival, curiosity starts to fade. People focus on holding their ground instead of expanding it.

The Paradox of Progress

When we talk about job hugging, it often comes down to relevance. In an age where technology is reshaping work, employees are trying to prove their worth—often by staying late or avoiding mistakes. Yet, they avoid the very tools their leaders have mandated for future relevance.

It’s a quiet paradox. Many understand that AI can make their work faster or smarter, but fear that mastering it might make them dispensable. So they hold back out of self-preservation—the same instinct behind job hugging.

But the issue runs deeper than technology. It’s also about timing. Change is happening faster than people can adapt. The economy feels unstable. Even leaders are stretched thin, trying to stay composed while navigating their own uncertainty. Everyone’s running, but no one feels ahead.

In that kind of environment, holding on feels safer than moving forward. That’s the real heart of job hugging.

Perhaps the goal is to cultivate a space where curiosity is safer than compliance. Because progress only takes root when people have the strength to believe in it.

A Moment for Reflection

At some point, we all hold on to something a little tighter when the ground feels uncertain. It’s a human instinct to find stability when the world feels unpredictable.

But just because the instinct is understandable doesn’t mean we can stay there. The longer we grip the familiar, the smaller our world becomes. Growth starts with noticing what fear is trying to protect and asking whether it’s still serving us.

Leaders, too, are part of this picture. It’s easy to look at stagnant teams and forget that they may be reflecting a company’s own anxiety. The culture we create often mirrors the state we’re in. If we want people to be brave enough to move forward, we have to make it feel safe to try.

While there’s no single fix for this, there should be more room for trust.

For leaders, it starts with creating space for honest conversations—where people can speak up about uncertainty without fear of judgment. Consistency, clear communication, and genuine recognition go a long way in helping teams feel supported rather than managed.

For employees, it’s about meeting that trust halfway. Staying curious, asking for feedback, and taking small risks to grow are all ways to keep momentum alive. Waiting for perfect conditions will only keep everyone stuck.

Support, after all, is a shared effort. Perhaps that’s what matters the most now—to rebuild a sense of purpose.