New Report Says ‘Job Huggers’ Feel Little Love for Their Current Employers

Half your workers want to leave. There are things you can do to prevent that from happening.

BY KIT EATON @KITEATON

Much has been written about the “job hugging” phenomenon, including warnings about how it’s actually slowing team work down, but a new report shines an altogether sharper light on the phenomenon. It might even explain why workers are hanging on to their existing jobs so tightly, even if they’re not particularly happy.

It turns out a majority of people aren’t clinging to current jobs because they’re committed to your company. They’re doing so purely because they feel they have to, due to economic and job market uncertainties. This finding may push you to rethink your management style, thoughts on your employee retention rate, and even the kind of benefits you offer your staff. 

Data from MetLife, the New York-based global insurance and employee service provider, show that while 77 percent of employees surveyed said they were sticking with their current job, fully 56 percent admitted it was out of simple necessity. Just 18 percent of workers said their plan to stick with their current employer was because they wanted to.

Why? It’s simple. MetLife’s survey found that financial confidence has fallen among the employees surveyed, hitting the lowest level since 2012. Meanwhile a whopping 31 percent—nearly one in three—of workers say the reason they’re hugging their job is the uncertain job market, meaning it’s just too financially risky to leave.

MetLife’s recent report notes that this really will create a problem for many employers because “employees who stay out of necessity experience much weaker outcomes.” The report warns just 50 percent of this cohort is “actively engaged” in their work duties, and they are also 54 percent less likely to be “holistically healthy,” which may drive absenteeism risks up and productivity down. 

From an employer’s point of view, everything may seem just fine. Todd Katz, Head of U.S. Group Benefits at MetLife, explained in the report. As workers stay on for the longer term, “retention alone can give employers a false sense of stability,” Katz noted. 

But what’s actually happening is “wellbeing, engagement, and productivity quietly erode” while you’re not looking. The trick to counter this, Katz suggested, is to strengthen company culture, leadership and benefits in “ways that foster real connection and true commitment.”

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