With the wave of recent layoffs and the rate of finding a new job at its lowest point since the pandemic, it’s little wonder employees are starting the new year feeling shaky about work life.

In fact, 4 in 5 workers fear losing their jobs this year, according to a survey of 1,115 employees in the U.S. by MyPerfectResume. The survey revealed that 76% anticipate more layoffs this year, while 63% expect more business closures vs. 2024 and 90% fear a recession could be on the way.

The impact extends beyond job concerns. More than half the workforce believes burnout will worsen in 2025, driven by job insecurity (43%), increased workloads (29%) and deteriorating work-life balance (23%). It all makes for a stubborn cycle in which fear of becoming jobless leads to overwork, which, in turn, exacerbates burnout and stress.

The phenomenon has led to what’s been dubbed “The Great Stay,” a growing reluctance among the workforce to switch jobs amid widespread anxiety about layoffs, burnout and economic instability.

“We’re seeing a perfect storm for workforce instability,” said Tim Glowa, founder and CEO of HR Brain, an HR solutions platform. The decline in job security, combined with an aging workforce and a spike in competition for talent, makes for a host of challenges for employers, he explains. As the median age of workers in the U.S. reaches 42 vs. 39 in 2000 — and even higher in some sectors — companies face the dual challenge of retaining anxious employees while prepping for a demographic reset.

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