In a market where long tenure often looks like stability, some HR leaders are starting to ask: What if it also hides stagnation? HRM explores how HR practitioners can identify the early signs of job‑hugging and apply strategies to re‑energise teams, reignite growth and strengthen organisational culture.

The term ‘job-hugging’ describes a quiet but widespread pattern: employees clinging to roles that no longer inspire them. After years of pandemic-era disruption and economic uncertainty, many people sought safety over ambition.

“People have clung to that stability after years of constant change,” says Michelle Young, Executive Recruiter at Six Degrees. “They’re disgruntled, but not disgruntled enough to make a move.”

The result is a workforce that seems stable from the outside, but is quietly losing momentum. For HR, the challenge lies in re-energising teams before disengagement becomes a significant drag on culture and performance.

Below, HRM explores why job-hugging can signal deeper cultural risks and what HR can do to shift employees from clinging on to moving forward.

Spotting job-hugging before it hurts performance

For HR leaders, steady headcount, flat engagement results and few resignations might seem like a good sign. But beneath the surface, employees’ motivation might be fading. 

“Job-hugging is comfort that’s being disguised as loyalty,” says Young.

“People are still performing, but they’re not necessarily stretching themselves. They might stop volunteering for projects. They might avoid lateral moves. They might seem to be busy, but not necessarily impactful.”

“Job-hugging is comfort that’s being disguised as loyalty.”  – Michelle Young, Executive Recruiter at Six Degrees.

When a significant number of disengaged individuals remain in their roles, innovation and internal mobility can slow, and top-performers might begin to look elsewhere.

“High performers go into organisations for growth and development,” says Young. “When that stops, people might start quietly browsing job boards and updating their CVs, which can be a distraction from their day-to-day work.”

Reputation can also take a hit when an organisation becomes known for inertia, she adds. 

“People talk. When energy is low, attracting new talent becomes a real challenge.”

How can HR help people move forward?

The difference between job-hugging and healthy tenure is whether people are still learning and evolving.

“Healthy retention is people staying and evolving, taking on new challenges, learning and visibly growing,” says Young.

To tell the difference between healthy retention and job-hugging, HR can combine quantitative and qualitative insights. 

“Engagement surveys can help,” says Young. “Look at movement data and pay attention to what people are saying in anonymous feedback. Creating more regular opportunities for employees to share their views – perhaps twice a year instead of once – can provide a more accurate pulse check.”

Once HR has recognised the signs, the next step is helping people regain momentum. Young suggests several focused, practical actions HR practitioners can take:

1. Support managers to spot and address job-hugging. 

Managers are often the first to notice when motivation drops. HR can support them by building their confidence to have constructive, forward-focused conversations about development and growth.

“Helping managers to identify what job-hugging looks like – the signs or behaviours – and then role‑playing the conversation to address the issue can be effective,” says Young.

2. Foster continuous growth and learning

Reigniting engagement often means giving employees new challenges. Cross-functional projects, mentoring and stretch assignments can build confidence and momentum without major disruption.

“There’s an opportunity to create more low-risk experiments,” says Young. “It’s not about full rotations but finding ways for people to cross-pollinate.”

This approach works best when leaders are open-minded about potential. Young recalls a marketing leader who brought a finance team member into marketing. The employee gained exposure to a new discipline, while the team benefited from their deeper commercial insight.

As Young explains, “It comes down to leaders being willing to think differently about talent.”

3. Support career growth through learning and conversations

Helping employees to see a future for themselves inside the organisation is one of the strongest antidotes to job-hugging, says Young. 

Ongoing learning programs, mentoring and exposure to different business areas can build confidence and motivation, while regular career conversations keep development front of mind.

“Provide tailored learning programs and development opportunities, especially for high performers,” says Young.

Young also recommends HR work with managers to weave these discussions into regular one‑on‑ones, so development remains a consistent focus throughout the year. 

“Coaching managers to have career conversations and ensuring the employee value proposition remains fit for purpose is crucial,” she says.

4. Listen and act on feedback 

Encouraging employees to share their thoughts and ideas builds trust and signals that leadership values their perspective. 

Regular feedback cycles, surveys and open channels of communication can help HR understand shifting needs and shape programs that reflect them.

“[At Six Degrees], we did a national survey around what’s important to workers  – everything from CSR [corporate and social responsibility] days to better [parental] leave policies to wellness days. [Try] surveying your population to get a bit of a sense check,” says Young. 

5. Prioritise flexibility 

Flexibility continues to rank among the most valued aspects of work. Offering options that fit employees’ lives helps sustain engagement and long-term loyalty. 

Beyond flexible hours or hybrid arrangements, consider how your organisation can support different life stages through measures such as enhanced parental leave, wellbeing days and additional family-related leave.

A forward view

Although job-hugging has defined the past few years, Young believes that confidence is returning. 

“People have job-hugged for a long time, and many feel it’s time to make a move,’” she says. “Confidence is returning. My pipeline right now is the busiest it’s been in 18 months.”

Recent data supports this shift. Findings from AHRI’s September Quarterly Australian Work Outlook show that hiring confidence has reached its highest level since the survey began in 2023, with 69 per cent of organisations planning to recruit this quarter. 

Young’s advice for HR is to stay ahead of that curve through clarity and transparency. 

“People want to know where they’re heading in a role,” she says. “Clear career roadmaps, transparent communication and strong leadership alignment all help turn loyalty into long-term momentum.”