ATLANTA — The rise of artificial intelligence and economic uncertainties has led to a new trend called job hugging, where workers stay longer in their current positions due to fear of leaving.
Many workers are choosing to remain in their current roles rather than risk unemployment or face the challenges of job searching in a cooling market.
“I think that job hugging right now is sort of like a warm blanket,” one woman said.
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Channel 2’s Karyn Greer spoke to Josh Stillwagon, who chairs the Economics Division at Babson College. He says that some firms are hesitant to hire because of uncertainties like tariffs.
“Some of the difficulties for new entrants and new entrants is A-I replacement,” Stillwagon said.
The ADP National Employment Report indicates that job creation over the last six months is down by 666,000 positions compared to the same period a year ago.
This decline is contributing to the shift from job hopping to job hugging.
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Mary Cavanaugh, who works with career consulting firm Keystone Partners, says that during 2021-2022, the job market was characterized by the “great resignation.”
“Candidates were almost able to name their price, and now we’ve seen that shift with the economic concerns, you know, and the tightening of the job market itself,” she said.
While job hugging provides short-term security, it may not be a sustainable strategy for long-term career growth.
“One of the negatives of job hugging is if you stay too long and you’re doing it out of fear and complacency, that’s not helping your career or the organization,” she added.
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