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For those of you unfamiliar with the term job-hugging, it’s when an employee stays in a role which does not make them happy or engage them. Often this is due to factors like economic uncertainty, a lack of better perceived alternatives, or comfort/fear of change.
This is contributing to an increase in Detractors. Detractors are individuals who are likely to speak negatively of their experience with their employer, may not be performing to their best, and may be having a detrimental impact on others at work.
Traditionally, these people would have moved on to new roles, but due to job-hugging, they often stay put. This can impact innovation, productivity and performance.
To create change, you first need to understand where you stand. Our dataset of millions of data points across the globe shows a direct link between happiness and performance:
Happier employees are 16% less likely to leave, preserving critical knowledge and boosting operational efficiency. Even a one-point increase in happiness scores can reduce annual turnover by up to 18 employees in a 1,000-person organisation. That’s an estimated saving of between £25,800 and £57,000 each year in recruitment and training costs.
Detractors aren’t the enemy. They’re often the canaries in the coal mine, signalling disconnects between what leadership says and what employees experience.
However, organisations need to address their Detractor population as this lowers morale, leading to stagnation and wasted potential.
Culture isn’t a soft, feel-good factor. It’s a hard business metric that drives performance. Which is why understanding it isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s essential for growth.
To create change, you first need to understand where you stand.
Our global benchmark compares your organisation against over 50 million data points across 170+ countries. It helps you discover your strengths and see where to focus for meaningful improvement. It’s the cultural compass every leader needs. Especially in a market where more people are staying but fewer are thriving.
Numbers only tell part of the story. To really understand what drives your people, you need to listen to how they think, feel and behave.
Our engagement platform gives you a live view of your cultural health. From research-backed surveys to custom insights, you can explore what’s driving engagement at every stage of the employee journey. Culture, made visible! And it helps you spot early signs of job hugging within your middle before it becomes cultural stagnation.
Data alone doesn’t transform culture. Action does.
Our culture consultancy helps you move from insight to impact. Whether you want to boost revenue, retention or customer experience – our experts help you build the conditions where your people can thrive.
Across our global client base, we see sustained advocacy as a leading indicator of financial stability and growth. Customers using our platform see eNPS scores increase by 55% over three years, from an average of 18.6 to a market-leading 28.8. This advocacy drives brand equity, reduces talent acquisition costs and fuels long-term performance.
Job-hugging might be a sign of the times. But it doesn’t have to define your culture. Imagine if even a fraction of your passives became promoters. Imagine if every detractor became an honest partner in improving your organisation.
That’s not a fantasy. It’s what happens when people feel heard, valued and aligned with purpose. When you turn listening into action, belief follows. And when belief grows, performance does too.
Curious where your culture stands? Let’s find out together.
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