Job Hugging or Playing It Safe at Work
Trends | New Stardom
Image: AI (DALL·E), October 2025 commissioned by New Stardom Magazine
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The rush of the “Great Resignation” is over. In its place, a quieter trend has taken root across offices and industries in 2025: job hugging. Workers are choosing to stay put, holding on to their jobs more tightly than before. But this shift is driven less by loyalty and more by uncertainty about what lies outside.
Multiple business outlets, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, have reported on this phenomenon. The NYT headlined it directly, “Have You Hugged Your Job Today?”, noting that many employees are forgoing ambition or dissatisfaction in favour of security. The Wall Street Journal describes job hugging as the new reality, replacing last year’s wave of job hopping.
Why now? A convergence of economic anxiety and labour market shifts. Bank of America data, cited by HR Executive, shows that the pay gap between switching jobs and staying put has almost vanished, both averaging around 4.3% annual increases. In earlier years, job switchers often commanded larger raises, but that premium has evaporated. At the same time, the US and UK have seen fewer job openings and reduced hiring, as the latest jobs data and ONS reports indicate a cooling market.
Employers initially welcomed lower turnover, interpreting it as a sign of stability. But this stability masks a less visible risk: disengagement. When people “hug” their jobs out of fear, not enthusiasm, companies may face a workforce that is present but not invested. Surveys referenced in Elite Business Magazine show that British employers now worry about team stagnation and declining innovation.
Employees, meanwhile, face their own dilemmas. Staying in a job can provide temporary safety, but it can also mean missed opportunities for development, higher pay, or career advancement. The New York Times reports that many workers describe their decision as pragmatic rather than passionate, citing the fear of economic turbulence, the unpredictability of AI-driven change, and the lack of visible alternatives.
So what can be done? HR leaders and workplace analysts recommend focusing on internal mobility, skill development, and transparent communication. Organisations are encouraged to track more than just turnover, engagement, satisfaction, and growth opportunities should be part of the conversation. For workers, the advice is equally clear: periodically re-evaluate whether you’re staying for the right reasons, and look for ways to keep developing, even within the same role.
In the end, job hugging is less about contentment and more about calculation. As the economic outlook remains uncertain, workers in 2025 are choosing safety over change, but both employees and employers will need to ensure that staying put doesn’t mean standing still.
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