How to survive the job-hugging era

Who hasn’t, at one point in their life, dreamt of dramatically quitting a job? In 2026, however, rates of quitting are falling, as more and more people hold on tightly to their current role. What is this new era of ‘job-hugging’ all about, and how can we collectively get through it?

‘The great resignation’ defined the mass exodus of people from their jobs in 2021, then there was ‘quiet quitting’, and more recently, ‘job hopping’. Now, we’ve arrived at ‘job-hugging’. Emerging last year, this is the practice of clinging on as tight as you can to your job – think Rose on that floating door in Titanic – in the face of a lack of alternative options. Quitting, it seems, has gone out the window as we enter job survival mode.

Severance still

Where are all the job vacancies?

If you’ve done any job hunting lately, you’ve probably experienced a nagging sense of doom about the lack of options out there. And no, it's not just in your head, the number of vacancies has been falling. In the UK, vacancies are at their lowest in five years; in the US hiring is at its lowest rate since 2020.

So what’s going on? A mix of factors are at play, not limited to global politics, an uncertain economy and AI replacing jobs (or at least putting hiring on hold until employers actually know what the hell is going on). It's tough out there, that’s undeniable.

UK Labour market 2011-2026

Enter job-hugging

With a collective scarcity mindset comes a collectively cautious attitude when it comes to leaving jobs. Quitting is not for the faint-hearted, and more so than ever in times of economic and political uncertainty. According to one survey, nearly half of employed workers (48%) say they’re currently staying in their roles longer than they otherwise might, for comfort, security or stability.

“Because there is so much uncertainty in the job market at the moment, job-hugging feels completely understandable,” says Annie Auerbach, author of Flex: Reinventing Work for a Smarter, Happier Life. “The existential precarity young people feel has made them consolidate and stay put.” Right now, ambition and change are lower on the priority list. And according to Forbes, this so-called ‘job hugging’ is predicted to stay for the long term.

For Mateo*, who works in the charity sector, where funding has been dramatically cut, “the job hugging is so real”. He’s one of the ones who has managed to stay in the field. Despite the toxic work environment he’s currently facing, he notes that, “You have to feel grateful for whatever you're doing now because you might not always get that chance.” With a lack of jobs out there, “I have friends that have left and they had to pivot to something completely different,” he notes.

For Clara*, too, she’s been wanting to leave her university job for a good six months, knowing there's no progression in the role. But applying has been mostly marked by ghosting; “It's absolutely hell out here,” she says. She can't afford to quit, especially knowing that it could take a serious chunk of time to secure another role.

The side effects

Job-hugging is a rational response to the current moment, but it comes with its own hardships. “[It] can leave you feeling really powerless”, says career coach Monique Shaw. Common emotional tolls include “boredom and demotivation, reduced enthusiasm and optimism, less creativity and innovation and an overall reduced sense of wellbeing around work.”

For Mateo, he’s noticed burnout is common amongst job-huggers: “I feel like there's this collective need to outperform and I see so many people working over hours. I see a lot more competition.” Plus, for the ones left behind post mass-redundancies and budget cuts, motivation and drive can wane. “It's so easy to lose faith and just hold to the salary and all of these entitlements, and they're great, but I feel like we end up losing the reason why we started this work in the first place,” adds Mateo.

A savvy tactic?

While some people online are likening this trend to ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ – cue Severance mental montage – it’s actually not all bad. Doing what you have to do – to pay the bills, keep your benefits, maintain structure – is sometimes worth it. “If someone has very fixed constraints [e.g. finance, logistics], then making a bold move in a very risky job market might not be the wisest move,” advises Monique. “Be realistic and play the long-game [...] in this market, job-hugging might actually be your most practical and savviest move.”

Mateo notes that “The word [job-hugging] in itself encompasses some self-compassion. I think it goes hand in hand with also a moment of self-hugging.” You might not be climbing the career ladder or getting a pay rise right now, you might even hate your boss, but you're keeping yourself grounded and secure – that’s not nothing.

The ‘job-hugging’ survival kit

So if job-hugging is a trend that isn’t going anywhere, what's the best way to get through this potential sense of feeling stuck, drained and unmotivated? Here are a few ways to lighten the emotional load.

Focus on your side-hustle or creative practice

So you need the job you're stuck in to pay your bills, fine. Look elsewhere for sources of both money and fulfilment and channel more emotional energy into that. Creative and career growth exists in other, non-traditional places: personal projects, community initiatives, freelancing. In light of a recent survey by Starling and Tapestry, Annie notes that “45% of young people believe they have the biggest impact on their own future, more so than the government and educational institutions”. She’s dubbed this the ‘privatisation of hope’, “a sense you have to DIY your future alongside your existing job”.

For Clara, focusing on her side hustle of content creation and eventually starting her own business – “trying to build something that’s going to be beneficial to me in the future” – has been the ticket to keeping herself sane. She’s reframed her day job as simply something “there to get you paid,” while long-term growth is driven by her own efforts.

Search for silver linings

What about your role is, dare we say it, actually okay? “Look at the things that do work for you in your current role and the things that don’t; try wherever possible to maximise the positive and mitigate the negative,” says Monique. “It’s all about being empowered where you can and controlling what you can control.”

Or maybe you can just be grateful for the easy-to-forget employment benefits right now: the sick pay, the annual leave, a nice office. Perhaps it’s that one great colleague. Search for glimmers in each work day and you’re sure to find some.

Practise “Life-hugging”

Remember, work won’t love you (or hug you) back. That was always true and it’s good to remind yourself of it. For Mateo, it’s been helpful for him to remember that “Things are outside of our control. [...] Putting a job in its place is always a healthy thing.” Invest in the things in your life that you have more control over. Think of this as “life hugging”.

Remember, nothing is permanent

The job market is always fluctuating, so it’s important to remember that things won’t be like this forever. As Harvard Business School professor Joseph Fuller said to The Guardian, “Plenty of opportunities will open up. They just won’t look like the ones your high school counsellor may have suggested.” The future is uncertain and we’re all just riding the wave, but the best thing we can do is hold out hope.

Prepare to quit

Quitting a job is never an easy decision, and while it's even riskier business than usual right now, it’s still an option. The job market is slim pickings, but roles are still out there.

Take Shanah*, who, despite months of unemployment stress, says she is “100% happy that I did quit”. Working as a marketing exec in the fashion industry, she left without another role lined up when the job reached breaking point during a period of illness. “[I was] Terrified. I was living in London, and had to pay rent,” she says. “It was also very daunting knowing that the job market was tough.”

But after three months of applying for jobs, doing “nine till five applications, five days a week,” kept afloat by universal credit, she found a job. “If you’re willing to put in the work with job hunting, ultimately you will get somewhere, and I don't think you'll likely regret it.”

Maybe the quitting is just a plan at this stage, and that’s okay. “Make a quiet long-term plan and start working towards it right now. Even if it’s 12-18 months out, or even a couple of years away, making tiny steps towards a positive change in the future is extremely empowering and motivating,” says Monique. Prepare for that dream opportunity while you job-hug, so that when it does appear, you’ll be ready with open arms.