Nearly two-thirds of UK knowledge workers believe leaving their current jobs is too risky, even as workplace uncertainty and concerns about their relationship with work persist. The finding comes from HP's 2026 Work Relationship Index, which highlights a growing reluctance among employees to make career moves in an uncertain employment environment.
According to the HP Work Relationship Index 2026, 64% of UK knowledge workers said they felt it was too risky to leave their current employer. The figure was higher among younger employees, reaching 68% for Generation Z and 66% for millennials.
The trend, often described as job hugging, suggests that employees may remain in their current roles because moving elsewhere feels uncertain rather than because they are necessarily satisfied with their jobs.
Low Turnover Does Not Always Mean Employee Satisfaction
The findings raise questions about how employers interpret workforce retention. A low rate of employee departures may appear to indicate loyalty or satisfaction, but the reasons employees stay can be more complicated.
In the UK, only 26% of knowledge workers reported having a healthy relationship with work. Although this represented an 11-percentage-point improvement from 2025, a substantial proportion continued to fall into the study's Watch-Out and Critical categories.
The results do not establish that every employee reluctant to change jobs is dissatisfied. However, they show that concerns about leaving can coexist with an unhealthy or uncertain relationship with work.
For employers, this distinction matters when using retention figures to assess the effectiveness of workplace policies and employee experience.
Organisational Change Is Adding to Career Uncertainty
Workplace disruption was widespread among UK respondents. Around 82% of knowledge workers said they had experienced organisational changes during the previous 12 months, while 84% of business leaders reported introducing changes over the same period.
These changes included adjustments to performance expectations, workplace technology and working practices.
The research also found that employees were reconsidering how they prepare for future career opportunities. More than half of UK respondents said they prioritised transferable skills over following a traditional career ladder.
Additionally, 38% reported having an income-generating venture alongside their main employment. The proportion increased to 49% among Gen Z respondents.
These findings suggest that some employees are exploring additional sources of income and building skills while remaining in their existing jobs, rather than relying entirely on a move to another employer for career security.
Career Development Remains a Retention Factor
Opportunities for professional growth also emerged as an important consideration in employee retention.
In the UK, 68% of knowledge workers said they would be more likely to stay with an organisation that invested in their professional development. Across the global sample, the figure was 73%.
HP's analysis also identified confidence in leadership as the strongest factor associated with a healthy relationship with work in the UK. Access to effective workplace technology, opportunities for development and confidence in adapting to future demands were other contributing factors.
The findings suggest that employees' decisions to stay are influenced by more than immediate job security. Their confidence in leadership and access to opportunities to develop also matter.
What the Findings Reveal About the Changing Employment Relationship
HP's fourth annual Work Relationship Index was conducted in partnership with National Research Group. The global study surveyed 19,506 desk-based respondents across 15 countries, including approximately 1,000 UK knowledge workers, alongside IT decision-makers and business leaders.
The research points to a workforce navigating uncertainty while becoming more cautious about career moves. For employers, the challenge is not simply to retain employees, but to understand whether people are choosing to stay because they see a future within the organisation or because leaving feels too risky.
That distinction could become increasingly important as organisations review their retention strategies, career development opportunities and response to continued workplace change.
