Employees Are Moving Less. But They're Still Looking.
- Mark Abbott
- Jun 13
- 1 min read
But they're still looking.
And I think that distinction matters.
An ABC report this week highlighted that fewer Australians are:
changing jobs
starting businesses
moving interstate
leaving traditional employment
Which makes sense.
The market feels uncertain.
AI disruption.
Cost of living pressure.
Housing affordability.
Economic instability.
People are becoming more cautious about risk.
But that doesn't mean they've stopped looking for better opportunities.
At TalentX Melbourne, Dr Ben Hamer shared that:
82% of Gen Z say they like where they work
yet 43% are still exploring other opportunities
That's a huge signal.
People may stay longer in uncertain markets…
But they'll still move if:
the opportunity feels stronger
leadership feels credible
growth feels real
flexibility exists
and the role genuinely improves their situation
I think many employers are misreading stability as loyalty.
They're not the same thing.
Strong candidates are still movable.
The difference is that the bar is now much higher.
Which means companies relying on:
slow hiring
weak process
vague opportunities
outdated tech
poor leadership environments
are going to struggle more than they realise.
The market hasn't become less ambitious.
It's become more selective.
Curious whether others are seeing the same thing right now.
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