Known as Kutu Loncat, Job Hugging is now a phenomenon among Gen Z and Millennials

The atmosphere of the "Jakarta Job Fest 2025" at the Kartini Hall which was officially held this Thursday to Friday, November 14, 2025. The job fair provides as many as 12 thousand job vacancies. (ANTARA/Lia Wanadriani Santosa)

JAKARTA - In the midst of difficulty finding a job, the term job hugging or hugging a job has become a trend lately. Generation Z and millennials who are famous for changing jobs have also started to keep their jobs even though they are not really happy.

In the past year, the number of unemployed in Indonesia has continued to increase, so the competition to get a job is fierce. Data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that the number of open unemployment (TPT) in Indonesia in August 2025 is 7.46 million people or 4.8 percent. Based on the explanation of the BPS, this figure means that there are about five unemployed people out of 100 people in the workforce.

Compared to last year, this figure is lower, namely 7.47 million with a TPT value of 4.91 percent. In the midst of high unemployment, coupled with the number of layoffs (PHK) makes workers can embrace the work they have now, even if they are not happy.

Among workers, this term is called job hugging.

The phenomenon of job hugging or hugging jobs is popular among Generation Z and millennials. Not only in Indonesia, this phenomenon also occurs in other parts of the world. (Unsplash)

Simply put, the term job hugging is the tendency for someone to stay in the current job, even though there are actually other career opportunities that could be better. This term is the opposite of job hopping.

Not because of Job Satisfaction

Citing Fast Company, job hugs are often driven by a fear of losing stability, both financially and in terms of job security. Workers who "hug jobs" prefer certain conditions to taking risks with things they don't know.

This term has long been a discussion in the United States (US) after the Department of Labor released the results of the Job Vacancy and Labor Turnover Survey in August 2025. The results, the rate of workers who voluntarily quit their jobs is only about two percent since the beginning of 2025. Outside the COVID-19 pandemic, the rate of people who quit their jobs has never been this low.

"There is quite a lot of uncertainty in the world that US workers feel. I think that uncertainty causes workers to naturally choose to stay in a survival pattern," said Matt Bohn, a consultant at Korn Ferry.

In Indonesia, it is difficult to find a job as seen in the field at job fairs held by a number of parties. In various reports, the number of applicants is very large, even though the available job vacancies are limited.

It is situations like this, one of which makes workers survive with their current jobs.

As reported by Hire, job hugs are often not due to job satisfaction, but rather the discomfort of facing a new recruitment process: from interviews, adaptation, organizational culture, to the risk of not being suitable in a different work environment.

Although known as a 'jumping flea' or likes to change jobs, the fact is that the term 'job hugging' is popular among Generation Z and Millennials. Many employees decide to stay in their old jobs rather than take the risk of moving, because they are afraid that the offer in the new job is just a formality.

Impact on Mental Health

Lecturer of the economics study program at the Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) of the State University of Surabaya (Unesa) Febrian, assessed the phenomenon of job hugging from an institutional economic perspective.

"Job Hugging can be seen as a response to the perceived transaction costs associated with job transitions. These costs include the time and effort required to find a new job, the potential loss of benefits, and the risks associated with entering an unfamiliar work environment," said Febrian, quoting the Unesa website.

"Institutions, including the education system and labor market policies, play an important role in shaping these perceptions and behaviors," he continued.

The phenomenon of job hugging occurs in various parts of the world. According to the Glassdoor Worklife Trends2025 survey, at the end of last year showed that the world's job market was sluggish. Many employees feel helpless in the midst of a stagnant career.

According to Glassdoor, almost two out of three respondents (65 percent) feel trapped in their current jobs. In the technology sector, the figure even reaches 73 percent.

Meanwhile, a survey by ResumeBuilder.com said that in August 2025, as many as 45 percent of the 2,221 respondents in the US assessed that they fell into the hugging job category. They kept their jobs because they considered changing jobs to be very risky in the current conditions.

Job hugging can have an impact on hindering the career of workers, decreasing company achievements, and affecting employee mental health. (Unsplash)

They are worried about a weak job market, a lot of layoffs, and more and more jobs relying on artificial intelligence or AI.

Talent Acquisition Manager Jobstreet by SEEK Ria Novita said job hugging can have an impact on hindering the career of workers. According to him, workers can lose better career opportunities offered by other companies. In addition, job hugging can also have a negative impact on the company. Decreased labor productivity can affect the company's overall achievements.

Job hugging can also have an impact on employee mental health.

"The actualization of self-actualization that is not fulfilled in the long term can cause frustration, loss of work meaning, even the meaning of life," said director and psychologist of Tabula Psychology Arnold Lukito.