Even amid rising economic uncertainty, now is not the time to hug your job

February 16, 2026
Even amid rising economic uncertainty, now is not the time to hug your job

Here's something you might find surprising — despite all the economic chaos and layoffs making headlines, now's actually not the time to play it safe and hold onto your job just because you're scared. According to Gene Marks writing in AI, many workers are clutching their jobs tighter than ever, worried about the looming threat of AI and rising costs. But here’s where it gets interesting — staying put out of fear can actually backfire. When everyone’s hesitant to make moves, companies might see it as a sign of weakness, and opportunities can stall. Marks points out that in a volatile market, the real winners are those willing to take calculated risks, switch roles, or even explore new fields. So what does this mean for you? Sometimes, the best move is to embrace change, not resist it. The world’s shifting fast, and sticking only to what’s safe might leave you behind in the long run.

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In a rapidly changing job market, it’s not necessarily good for workers to cling to their current employment

After all the employee protests over the past few years – the “great resignations”, the “quiet quittings”, the “bare-minimum Mondays” and “coffee badgings” – we have finally arrived at “job hugging”.

Amid all the economic uncertainty and the rising costs of everything, people aren’t feeling as confident as they once were. Instead of slacking off while you hunt for something better, everyone’s scared about losing their jobs. With all the news about big corporate layoffs and the ominous and still-undefined threat of AI, it’s understandable that people are hugging their jobs.

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Audio Transcript

6827.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=8

In a rapidly changing job market, it’s not necessarily good for workers to cling to their current employment

After all the employee protests over the past few years – the “great resignations”, the “quiet quittings”, the “bare-minimum Mondays” and “coffee badgings” – we have finally arrived at “job hugging”.

Amid all the economic uncertainty and the rising costs of everything, people aren’t feeling as confident as they once were. Instead of slacking off while you hunt for something better, everyone’s scared about losing their jobs. With all the news about big corporate layoffs and the ominous and still-undefined threat of AI, it’s understandable that people are hugging their jobs.

Continue reading...
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