Fewer employees accept new job offers as desire to stay gets stronger
Fewer candidates accepted the job offers provided by potential employers in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to a new report, in a further sign that employees would rather stay than leave their current workplace.
Gartner's survey among 3,072 employees in December 2025 revealed that only 48% of job candidates accepted their most recent job offer.
This is a significant decrease from the 54% recorded in the same period in 2024, and much lower than the 85% reported in 2023.
The drop coincided with the expected extension of the job hugging trend in workplaces this year, where employees indicated that they would likely stay with their current employer than leave.
Gartner's research reflected the trend, with 30% of its respondents saying they would prefer staying in their current workplace due to economic volatility, even if faced with a better offer.
Hesitation to leave is also higher among highly skilled staff, who are 39% more likely than less-skilled employees to remain in their current role.
"While hiring is down overall, organisations are still hiring for a smaller set of roles that are critical and much harder to fill. At the same time, candidates are more reluctant to switch jobs right now," said Jamie Kohn, Senior Director Analyst in the Gartner HR practice.
"CHROs need to build higher-touch candidate engagement strategies for critical roles, with a clear narrative on why changing jobs is worth the risk."
Addressing job hugging's impact
Job hugging replaced the previous job hopping trend that gave hiring managers a headache, after employees left their jobs within a year or two to pursue higher salaries and positions.
But this recent drop in attrition may not always be interpreted as a positive, according to Kohn.
"In reality, employees are prioritising stability over potential career upsides," she said.
The expert's warning echoes the remarks of previous experts, who cautioned employers that employees will likely jump ship once the market conditions improve. The situation could also lead to employees becoming stagnant in their current workplace.
With employees refusing to leave their current workplace, Gartner advised chief human resources officers (CHROs) to prioritise internal mobility, shift focus toward quality of hire over volume, and clearly define what roles are worth the additional compensation and high-touch engagement.
"To succeed in this environment, organisations need to adjust how they position roles by emphasising stability, team continuity, and long-term development to reassure candidates about accepting an offer," Kohn said.
