Career moves on hold: How uncertainty is redefining work in US
As 2026 begins, US workers are torn between ambition and anxiety. Zety’s 2026 Job Search Split Report shows 47 per cent plan to job hunt, while 53 per cent are staying put, wary of market instability. Rising costs, stagnant wages, and hiring uncertainty have given rise to a “quiet stay,” where caution increasingly outweighs career risk.
As 2026 begins, US workers are torn between ambition and anxiety. Zety’s 2026 Job Search Split Report shows 47 per cent plan to job hunt, while 53 per cent are staying put, wary of market instability. Rising costs, stagnant wages, and hiring uncertainty have given rise to a “quiet stay,” where caution increasingly outweighs career risk.
