The job-hugging trend is cracking

Despite a seemingly frozen labour market, subtle shifts are tipping the balance of power back to workers

AFTER A TURBULENT couple years in the immediate post-Covid environment, the last 18 to 24 months in the job market has been dominated by the ‘great stay/job hugging’ dynamic, with workers clinging to their existing jobs rather than setting out to find new ones. It’s been ‘low hire, low fire’ since mid-2024, and low turnover and churn in the job market has reflected that.

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Well, here comes the pendulum again. It seems Canadians are getting itchy to change jobs again, with nearly one in four planning to leave, a number that rises to four in ten when looking at Gen Z, according to a new survey from Randstad Canada.

But what is slightly different compared to the post-pandemic era of job switching (where hopping from spot to spot was largely about improving your salary), is that this time around a lot of the restlessness seems to be related to working conditions and flexibility.

“Roughly eight in 10 workers say flexibility, time off and health and wellness benefits are important,” wrote Jim Wilson at HR Reporter, noting that younger workers are placing a higher premium on work-life balance than older workers right now. Against the backdrop of RTO and a culture of productivity-maxxing, people are ready to look elsewhere.

“This year’s data reminds us that the foundation of the employer-employee relationship hasn’t fundamentally changed: workers want to be fairly compensated and able to live their lives outside of work,” said Marie-Eve Robitaille, division president of professional talent solutions at Randstad Canada. “What has changed is how quickly they act when they feel those needs aren’t being met.”

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Last time around, a lot of companies struggled to navigate an employment market with more restlessness; complaints about flighty employees jumping ship were common, circa 2022 and 2023. But Marie-Pier Bedard, also of Randstad Canada, told the Financial Post that companies don’t have to struggle with a greater desire to leave.

“Employers should expect a highly competitive hiring season where candidates aren’t just daydreaming about finding something better — they are actively ready to jump ship,” she said. “Talent is going to gravitate toward companies that clearly deliver on what they value most. Navigating this doesn’t require employers to completely reinvent the wheel.” Kieran Delamont