20% of Employers Pump Brakes on Hiring as Workers Embrace Job Hugging

The job market’s musical chairs game has officially slowed to a crawl — and nobody’s eager to give up their seat. Conference Board research reveals that ~20% of US employers plan to decelerate their hiring efforts during 2025’s second half, nearly doubling from last year’s reluctant recruitment rates. Corporations are applying the hiring brakes strategically, with Novo NordiskNOVO

pausing non-critical recruitment to combat knockoff competition, while MetaMETA

has halted its AI talent acquisition spree.

• The average job seeker now faces a 24-week hunt for employment after losing their position — nearly a month longer than the previous year’s timeline.
• Workers are “job hugging,” holding tight to their current roles as the quits rate sticks near 2% — its lowest level since early 2016.

The freeze out: Conference Board’s Diana Scott notes that hiring managers are “taking a more thoughtful, steady approach as economic and policy uncertainty lingers.” At the same time, 38% of job seekers now report zero confidence in available opportunities — up from 26% three years ago — marking a clear shift from aggressive job-hopping to defensive position-holding. Companies are squeezing more productivity from existing teams instead of expanding, while employees value security over pay raises — leaving the labor market stuck in neutral.