Dive Brief:
- “Job hugging,” the workplace trend where employees cling to their job, isn’t going away, but 56% of employees surveyed said they are staying out of necessity rather than genuine commitment, according to a MetLife report released Feb. 18.
- Financial confidence has fallen to its lowest level since 2012, the report said, and close to one third of workers reported that an uncertain job market is their main reason for staying.
- About half of workers are actively engaged in their work, according to the survey, raising concerns from MetLife researchers about absenteeism and lowered productivity.
Dive Insight:
“Job hugging” came into the HR lexicon sometime last year, with Eagle Hill Consulting predicting at the time that workers were going to be holding their employment tight over the next six months.
“While employee loyalty is rising, it may be for the wrong reasons,” MetLife said in the report. Even as workers remain loyal to their employer due to economic headwinds, their productivity is tanking, the report noted.
Todd Katz, head of U.S. group benefits at MetLife, encouraged employers to focus on methods of re-establishing trust and inspiring “genuine commitment” from workers — “beyond transactional loyalty,” Katz said.
Previously, a workplace expert told HR Dive that employers need to understand their true workers’ motivations, what objectives can actually drive performance and how to measure productivity against engagement.
“This puts renewed pressure on employers to strengthen their cultures, leadership and benefits in ways that foster real connection and true commitment,” Katz of MetLife said.