'Job Hugging': Staying Isn't the Risk. Standing Still Is.

The Guardian recently wrote about a new workplace trend: "job hugging." People staying put. Not because they're thriving, but because they're cautious - economic uncertainty, and the fear of being last in, first out if they move.

On paper, staying feels safer. And sometimes it is. But here's the question that matters: are you developing while you stay? Because staying isn't the risk. Standing still is.

If you're in a role where you're learning new tools, being stretched, exposed to new ways of working, and trusted with bigger problems, then staying can be a smart decision.

But if you're doing the same work you were doing two years ago, avoiding risk to stay under the radar, and waiting for direction rather than building initiative, then what feels safe today may quietly cost you later.

Careers don't usually stall in one dramatic moment. They drift. And while you're focused on protecting your current position, someone else in the market is quietly building new capability.

You don't need to rush into a move, but you do need to make sure you're still moving forward. If you're unsure whether you're growing or just staying, that's worth a conversation.