Workspan Daily News Bytes for Oct. 16, 2026

U.S. Workers Satisfied with Their Jobs, Yet Disengagement Lingers

Ninety percent of U.S. workers plan to stay with their employer for the next two years, but there are signs of disengagement shimmering beneath the surface, according to a Workplace Wellness Survey released Oct. 12 by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and Greenwald Research.

The research found:

60% of surveyed workers are extremely or very satisfied with their current job.
59% reported often or always not caring about their job.
55% fantasize about quitting.
52% said they perform at a level below what they are capable of.
50% said they do just enough to get by at work.

Among workers whose jobs can be done remotely:

22% said they have already left a job because of a return-to-office requirement.
26% said they would leave because of such a policy.

A four-day workweek (41%), additional paid time off (38%), commuting benefits (33%) and private in-office workspaces (30%) are among the incentives most likely to increase their chances of staying. Only 10% said none of the incentives would change their decision.

Among workers using artificial intelligence (AI) tools at work:

67% said they are comfortable using AI tools at work.
65% believe AI can help them work more efficiently.
53% reported often or always using AI to help produce work without thoroughly checking it for accuracy.
47% said increased use of AI at work may eliminate their job.

Financial well-being remained a significant concern among employees:

84% were concerned about rising inflation.
82% cited the cost of healthcare.
79% cited the cost of health insurance.
77% cited rising housing.
70% reported having problematic debt.

When asked what they value most from an employer aside from income/compensation, workers most often cited:

Work-life balance (49%);
Flexibility in work schedules (37%);
Generous paid time off (35%);
Quality health care coverage (33%); and,
Quality retirement savings benefits (31%).

American Workers Continue to ‘Hug’ Their Jobs

Forty-eight percent of U.S. workers are currently “job hugging,” according to an Oct. 13 report by employment website Monster. The term refers to staying in a job for the job security, stability or comfort it provides, even when moving on could offer better pay, career growth or other opportunities.

Workers reported the following effects on their satisfaction:

31% said job hugging decreases their satisfaction by making them feel stuck or limited, up from 27% in 2025.
34% said it has no real effect, down from 38%.
26% said it increases their satisfaction by making them feel secure or valued, compared with 25% last year.

When asked how job hugging affects career growth, workers reported the following:

31% said it limits growth and advancement, up from 27% from 2025.
41% believe it had little effect, down from 47%.
28% said it helps workers build depth and expertise, compared with 26%.

When asked what keeps them in their current roles:

66% of workers cited pay and benefits.
64% said job security or stability.
41% cited flexibility, including remote or hybrid work.
35% said positive relationships with their team or manager.
23% said they lacked appealing alternatives.

Job Seekers Say They Regularly Experience ‘Ghost Jobs’

“Ghost jobs” are becoming more commonplace for job seekers, according to a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. adults that was published Oct. 12 by career website ResumeBuilder.com. A ghost job refers to an employment posting that does not result in a hire, or is tied to a nonexistent or already-filled position.

Overall, 86% of survey respondents said they have encountered a suspected ghost job. Among those who have experienced these postings, 40% said it happens “often” or “very often”.

Fifty-eight percent of recent job seekers also said they’ve interviewed for a position they later suspected was a ghost job. For 31%, this happened multiple times, while 27% said it happened once.

Many job seekers said these experiences affected how they felt about employers, job listings and the overall job search. Among respondents:

39% said the experience has increased their stress or frustration.
32% have become less trusting of employers.
32% are less trusting of online job listings.
23% have become less trusting of job sites or platforms.
22% question whether genuine job opportunities are available.
20% are less motivated to continue applying.
17% have delayed their job search.
16% are less willing to provide personal information.
12% have paused or abandoned their job search.
10% remained in a job they wanted to leave.
8% missed out on another job opportunity.

McKinsey Executive Loses Leadership Role Over LinkedIn Posts

Consulting firm McKinsey & Co. recently removed senior partner Chris Bradley from his leadership role at the McKinsey Global Institute, the firm’s business and economic research unit, following an internal review of posts he made on LinkedIn, according to several news reports.

Bradley, who is based in Australia, remains a senior partner at the firm.

“Following our conduct review process, we have removed the partner from his leadership roles, including at the McKinsey Global Institute,” McKinsey spokesman Taylor Burns said in a statement. “His public comments fell well short of the standards we expect at our firm.”

The review was triggered by an exchange Bradley had in September on LinkedIn with an author of a book about the “glass cliff” (the term for the workplace phenomenon of women and people of color being more likely to be appointed to management positions during times of turmoil). In the now-deleted posts, Bradley described the glass cliff as “a very convenient way to always be a victim in the rain” and broadly challenged the validity of the concept.

Figures and Facts of the Week

3,000: The number of corporate employees grocery store chain Kroger announced it will lay off over the next three years as it ramps up its use of AI to streamline operations.
1,000: The number of employees streaming service Netflix announced will be laid off. The job cuts will largely impact the product, tech, legal and HR teams.
86: The percentage of U.S. workers who said they have been asked to take on responsibilities outside their job description without additional compensation, according to a new survey by career website MyPerfectResume.
60: The percentage of U.S. adults who changed jobs in the past two years who said they were unsure what to expect on their first day of work, according to a survey by onboarding platform Clickboarding.
55: The percentage of American workers who said their roles or careers have significantly changed due to AI in the past two years, according to a survey by people analytics technology company Visier.
40: The percentage of global employees who said their CEO has not been transparent enough about how AI will affect their roles and career opportunities, according to new research from Boston Consulting Group.
26: The percentage of CHROs in higher education who indicated they are not at all involved in campus-wide AI policies, according to a new report by the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR).
35: The percentage of U.S. workers who said they felt their employer provided strong financial wellness support, according to the 2026 Employee Financial Wellness Report by software company Payroll Integrations.