A recent LinkedIn survey involving 2,000 participants revealed that 59 percent of Australians intend to remain in their current job by 2026. This marks a notable increase from the 51 percent who expressed the same sentiment last year.

The survey also highlighted that four out of five individuals admitted feeling “unprepared” to embark on a job search. Additionally, over a third of Australians expressed concerns about the potential impact of AI on the recruitment process.

Furthermore, seven in ten Australians indicated that the job hunt has become more challenging over the past year.

Following a trend of frequent job changes in the aftermath of COVID-19, it seems that many workers are now choosing stability over change, as confidence in the job market wanes.

The study identified economic uncertainty as the primary reason behind Australians’ reluctance to switch jobs.

“After the ‘Great Resignation’, we are seeing the opposite behaviour,” LinkedIn career expert Brendan Wong said.

“Australians are job hugging – staying in roles they might have otherwise left because the market feels uncertain and highly competitive.

“When four in five people say they feel unprepared to job hunt, it’s not surprising many are choosing stability over risk.”

LinkedIn found 43 per cent of Gen Z job seekers say AI-led interviews would make them “less nervous”.

Wong said it was a good idea for job seekers to familiarise themselves with AI.

“AI is shaping almost every part of the job search, from finding roles to being pre-screened by recruiters and preparing for interviews,” he said.

“The key is to start small.”

Chief among them are AI engineers, risk officers and mechanical engineers.