‘Job hugging’ is the newest career trend: Here’s what it means—and why Gen Z is into it

The era of “job hopping” is over—get ready for “job hugging.”

Korn Ferry, a global organizational consultancy firm, recently published a new report showing that employees are no longer moving quickly between new job opportunities, and are instead choosing to stick it out in their current positions for the foreseeable future.

“At an alarming rate, more and more employees are displaying what is colloquially known as ‘job hugging’—which is to say, holding onto their jobs for dear life,” the report reads.

Just a few years ago, job hopping—or moving from company to company in search of the next best opportunity—was trending among employees, especially younger workers looking to climb the corporate ladder. Now, though, the opposite is true. Korn Ferry’s analysts say AI disruption, a lack of new jobs, and an unpredictable economic market are some of the main reasons why employees are doubling down on their current positions.

What is job hugging?

According to a July report from Eagle Hill Consulting, the majority of employees plan to stay in their current position for at least the next six months, with Gen Z employees reporting the most intent to remain in place. Further, the data found that the Market Opportunity Indicator—a measure of employees’ perception of the outside job market—has dropped to its lowest level since the report’s inception.

The growing pessimism around employment opportunities isn’t unfounded. A recent report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas found that, through the end of July, U.S.-based employers had announced more than 800,000 job eliminations in 2025—the highest number of jobs lost in the same period since the global pandemic in 2020.

Meanwhile, job growth has turned sluggish: Per a July report from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. economy created just 73,000 jobs in July, down from the 111,000 monthly average of earlier this year. The report also majorly edited down previous estimates for May and June job creation. Many employees are pumping the brakes on hiring as inflation rises and President Trump’s tariffs continue to throw the market into periods of major flux.

On top of these trends, the increasing utility of AI technology is changing how some organizations are structured, and even threatening some occupations with replacement. Korn Ferry cites all of these factors as contributing toward the growing prevalence of “job hugging.”

“Market instability is one of the major reasons I see as to why candidates, especially to performers, are reluctant to move,” says Stacy DeCesaro, a managing consultant at Korn Ferry. “Top performers are waiting for a more stable market before they take a risk with a new role and company.  Top performers are generally only leaving if they are miserable in their current role, are offered a significant compensation increase, or are feeling very unsettled with their company’s viability, leadership, or culture.”

For recruiters, Korn Ferry’s report notes, this trend is poised to make hiring significantly more difficult. On the bright side, though, it might be an opportunity for organizations to invest more in their top talent and encourage younger employees to put down roots.