Almost Half of U.S. Workers Want to Switch Careers. Here’s What’s Stopping Them.
A survey of over 4,000 people found a widespread desire for career changes. AI and economic uncertainty are driving the urge to switch.
The great resignation is officially over, but the great desire for career change is just getting started. A new FlexJobs survey found 43% of workers would like to change careers this year, driven by AI concerns, layoff fears, and work-life balance issues.
But few are actually making the leap. The quit rate dropped to just 2% in December, down from 3% during the 2021 resignation peak. Experts call it “job hugging”—workers want out but are too scared to leave.
The culprit is AI-driven uncertainty. “The advent of AI has accelerated the collapse of linear career paths,” executive coach Megan Hellerer told CNBC. Generative AI particularly threatens white-collar workers who historically felt secure enough to job-hop. Workers know they need to adapt but don’t know where they’ll land, so they’re staying put.
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The great resignation is officially over, but the great desire for career change is just getting started. A new FlexJobs survey found 43% of workers would like to change careers this year, driven by AI concerns, layoff fears, and work-life balance issues.
But few are actually making the leap. The quit rate dropped to just 2% in December, down from 3% during the 2021 resignation peak. Experts call it “job hugging”—workers want out but are too scared to leave.
The culprit is AI-driven uncertainty. “The advent of AI has accelerated the collapse of linear career paths,” executive coach Megan Hellerer told CNBC. Generative AI particularly threatens white-collar workers who historically felt secure enough to job-hop. Workers know they need to adapt but don’t know where they’ll land, so they’re staying put.
Sign up for the Entrepreneur Daily newsletter to get the news and resources you need to know today to help you run your business better. Get it in your inbox.
