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We try and make sense of the new phenomenon where people are clinging on to their jobs in fear more than satisfaction, thanks to expert inputs from Kameel Vij, Intrepid Group Asia.
In a world where everything around us seems to be changing, would it surprise you to know that employees are clinging on to what makes them feel most secure – i.e. their jobs?
Well, as it so happens with most trends, this one has caught on once a name was given to it: “Job hugging”. It has been described as a trend where employees are staying in their current role, despite being dissatisfied with various aspects, only because leaving a job at the current time is/feels too risky. So instead of job hopping, certain employees are job hugging instead, proving that stability beats uncertainty.
To make sense of this development, Aditi Sharma Kalra spoke to HR expert, Kameel Vij, Intrepid Group Asia, and to see if this seems like a passing fad, as well as what the broader implications could be.
First things first, Vij confirms that she is seeing more people cling to roles for stability rather than for reasons of passion or career development.
She explains: “With headlines full of restructurings and hiring freezes, many workers are making a clear trade‑off: they are giving up growth and satisfaction in exchange for the stability of staying in their current roles.”
Understandably so, give the current sentiment globally around economic uncertainty, and particularly in Southeast Asia, around hiring slowdowns. With plenty of companies also upping their investments in AI, the risk of roles being disrupted can be worrying especially for those who have not been able to use AI to improve their productivity yet.
A thread on Reddit referenced anxieties around the current job market as early as four months ago, with contributors sharing the following:
– “I'm hugging till I can hop.”
– “I can't imagine anybody making any sort of radical course changing decision in these current times.”
– “Most folks are pragmatic and depending on career goals, market demand and overall skill will determine how long to stay with a particular employer.”
Implications for HR leaders
“The big risk is misreading low attrition as a healthy sign,” Vij shares, when it comes to what this trend could mean for HR and workforce planning.
“HR leaders could be sitting on a quiet build-up of disengagement and burnout which drags performance now and could flip into a sudden wave of resignations once confidence in the job market returns – and we know these often happen in waves.”
Waves indeed, as many of us will remember what happened when the “Great Resignation” seemed to be creating problems, with workers resigning in droves once pandemic restrictions and threats were lifted.
So while current workforce data may seem like things are stable, or even stagnant, for employers this may be the start of the next big wave of employee disgruntlement.
We asked Vij if there are ways for people managers to try and identify ‘job huggers’ in their teams. Certainly, she says, as she tells managers to watch for “solid but shrinking” behaviour: that is, people who meet expectations but avoid stretch work, internal moves, or honest career development talks.
She adds: “If someone seems more relieved by stability than excited by growth, that’s a cue for a candid, empathetic 1:1 about what’s keeping them stuck.”
To layer on to this, perhaps addressing the matter with a job hugger is not about pushing them to move out, but more about unlocking their value if they have decided to stay. What are the reasons they are unhappy that they have not shared before?
There is also an opportunity here to provide passage in terms of internal mobility. Example, short-term transfer assignments, which allow your talent to trial a new role for, say, three months.
As you all tackle this trend in your organisations, we hope you are able to convert your static talent into strategic talent – good luck!
What's the next big trend you'd like us to focus on? Write to us and let us know at: editorial@humanresourcesonline.net
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