Workforce Worries: Finances, Job Security and AI Are Weighing Heavily

Financial and economic stress, job security and artificial intelligence (AI) are the top concerns of American workers, according to a report by consulting firm Mercer. Its Inside Employee Minds 2025-2026 survey, released in December, analyzed data from more than 4,500 U.S. workers across industries.

According to Mercer experts, the annual report found higher engagement and stronger intent to stay, especially where workers believed they could progress internally. On the other hand, workers were seeking assurance in certain areas: transparency on compensation, pragmatic flexibility and timeoff that “actually works,” and concrete skills roadmaps tied to the roles people do today.

“Employees are grasping for security, clinging to their roles and seeking clear promises on pay, flexibility, digital transformation and what’s next for their careers,” said Adam Pressman, an employee research and engagement leader at Mercer.

Pressure Points

According to the Mercer report, economic stress is a significant pressure for workers:

• 76% of survey respondents worried about the effect of tariffs on the economy.
• 70% reported inflation and market volatility as increasing financial stress.
• 56% feared for their jobs.

The top concerns respondents voiced as unmet needs were:

• Their ability to cover monthly expenses;
• Being able to retire; and,
• Job security.

Meanwhile, in uncertain labor and economic markets, 75% of respondents said they intend to stay with their current employer. The same percentage believes they can meet their career goals internally by doing so — a sentiment that is particularly high in the high-tech and financial services sectors. 

Workforce expectations around transparency also are shifting. More than 40% of survey respondents said they won’t even apply for a role if pay isn’t posted.

AI Drives Concerns

According to Mercer experts, workers broadly accept that AI is reshaping roles, but they are looking for more specifics and strategy from employers on how it will affect them — namely, where responsibilities will shift, when changes will happen and how workloads will be managed during transformation.

For example, the report found:

• 63% of survey respondents said they are enthusiastic about AI’s potential to make work more efficient.
• 53% expect AI to affect their job security.
• 43% expect new technology to make work feel harder to accomplish in the near term.

“Employees are excited about AI’s potential, but silence from leadership on how it will transform work can create uncertainty,” said Lauren Mason, Mercer’s U.S. workforce solutions leader. “The full value of AI can be unlocked when leaders bring the workforce along the journey and help employees see how it can be a partner in their productivity, not a threat.”

Editor’s Note: Additional Content

For more information and resources related to this article, see the pages below, which offer quick access to all WorldatWork content on these topics:

• Employee Benefits
• Employee Compensation
• Employee Experience