More than half of U.S. workers (54%) say they would accept a lower salary in exchange for greater job security, according to Monster’s 2026 Job Security Report. As many organizations continue to watch layoffs, hiring freezes and restructuring across multiple sectors, this snapshot gives HR leaders perspective on how employees view the balance between compensation and job stability.

Job security: What gives?

The report, based on a Pollfish survey of 1,020 currently employed U.S. workers conducted July 17, found a strong willingness to trade pay for security. Twenty-eight percent of respondents said they’d accept a salary reduction of at least 5%, and 11% said they’d take a cut of more than 10%.

Among workers willing to make a trade-off:

• 26% would give up bonuses or incentives
• 26% would sacrifice workplace perks or benefits
• 23% would give up flexibility including remote work options
• 17% would accept higher health insurance costs

In total, 61% of respondents said they’d sacrifice at least one of these for more stability. Thirty-nine percent said they would not give up anything.

Compensation planning

Many employers have had to rethink total rewards packages amid budget pressure. The report’s authors point to communication as the lever employers have the most control over. Organizations that communicate clearly about business performance, invest in employee retention and provide a strong overall employee experience may be better positioned to attract and retain talent, according to the report.

Workers who are informed about where the business stands and where it’s headed may value that transparency enough to accept less on the pay side. The report suggests that investment in clear, consistent communication about company performance could do double duty to reduce anxiety-driven attrition while creating room to be conservative about payroll costs.

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