Signal file: what this week’s data tells us about confidence and belonging at work
With job security under strain, decisions to stay, push forward or walk away hinge as much on emotion as economics. This week’s signals unpack the anxieties driving those moves
Across sectors, employees are choosing to stay put, not out of loyalty or fulfilment, but fear. With hiring slowing, benefits shrinking, and automation rising, change feels risky. Many workers are opting for stability in uncertain times, even as satisfaction wanes and career growth stalls.
At the same time, employers are tightening budgets and reassessing workforce structures, widening the existing skills gap between junior and senior employees. Belonging is becoming a scarce form of stability, something to be cultivated, not assumed. This week’s signals highlight how security, trust and meaning are reshaping the employee experience, and what organisations can do to rebuild confidence from within.
Workers are staying put
Many employees are remaining in their roles not out of fulfillment, but caution. Slower hiring, shifting job requirements and the accelerating impact of AI have made change feel risky. According to a recent report from Leapsome, one in four employees stay in their role because they fear the uncertainty of switching jobs, while over half say they’re staying for reasons unrelated to enjoying the work itself. Retention is beginning to look like self-preservation.
In action: As job security becomes more psychological than structural, organisations will need to measure thriving, not just surviving. This means designing workplaces that build skill confidence and foster cultures of belonging.
Employers tighten pay as benefits costs climb
Two-thirds of employers say their benefits costs have risen in the past year, according to new data from Aflac. Rising health and insurance expenses are squeezing budgets for raises, bonuses, and improved benefits, with over a third of companies now passing on higher costs to employees. Some companies report scaling back their offerings altogether, revealing growing strain between talent retention goals and financial realities.
In action: As benefits inflation pressures compensation, employers can sustain engagement by investing in non-monetary value that reinforce belonging even when budgets can’t.
Confidence crisis spreads across the workforce
Employee confidence dropped to 45.7% in October, down 2.7 points from the previous month and sharply lower than 51.9% a year ago, according to Glassdoor. The decline suggests rising uncertainty around job stability, career progression, and the perceived value of work amid layoffs, wage stagnation, and organisational restructuring.
In action: To rebuild confidence, organisations should prioritise transparent communication, visible leadership, and clear pathways for advancement – creating psychological safety and restoring trust in the future of work.
The risk of being overqualified
More job seekers are being rejected for roles they could easily fill, as companies cut layers of middle management and experienced professionals apply for junior positions. The Wall Street Journal reports that the ‘overqualified’ label is resurfacing as a filter in hiring, reflecting both a slowdown in senior hiring and a growing mismatch between available talent and organisational structures.
In action: Reimagine roles for experience-rich candidates, offering project-based, fractional, or mentorship-led models that preserve expertise while maintaining agility.
