Survey Finds Workers Anxious about Job Security  

Labor Landscape

American workers are less merry this holiday season as a new survey finds them anxious about job insecurity in the wake of a sluggish economy and a stark reality that  job security may no longer be guaranteed, even for top performers.  

According to a new Express Employment Professionals-Harris Poll survey, 73 percent of job seekers agree that no job is secure, no matter how well an employee performs, and 71 percent say job security is becoming a thing of the past. These concerns are reshaping how Americans approach their careers, with many reporting a dramatic shift in their sense of stability.  

“These findings should not surprise  anyone, as America is no longer the manufacturing giant we were at the end of World War II when our car manufacturers controlled 51 percent of the car markets compared with only about 14 percent today,’’ said Robert Strauss, a professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University. 

Strauss also pointed out that mergers and acquisitions have trimmed down many of the former big corporate employers where workers could rely on solid jobs for decades. Verizon is laying off 13,000 employees and UPS is cutting 48,000 jobs in operations and management.  

Jon Slater of McKeesport, Pa., said his father was a steelworker for 30 years.  “There are no long term jobs like that today, ‘’ said Slater, who has been freelancing as a computer programmer for the past six months.  “I’ve sent out more than 50 resumes for a full time post and heard nothing back, said Slater, 55.  “It could be my age. They want the younger generation,’’ he added.  

The survey also found that 67 percent of employed job seekers say they used to feel stable in their careers, but now everything feels uncertain.  Gen Z workers are especially affected, with 33 percent strongly  agreeing compared to 22 percent of millennials and Gen X.  

Strauss further added that recession fears reshape job search behavior.  While only 50 percent of job seekers  expect a recession in the next 12 months , and 24 percent  believe it will happen  in the next six months.  Nearly one in 10 (8 percent ) say we are already in a recession.   These fears are driving changes in job search strategies.  

“I am not using online search engines because they tend to gravitate to the younger generation,’’ said Martha Radvick of Washington, Pa.  “I am looking for a marketing post but AI has really hurt my profession,’’ Radvick said.  

A majority of companies nationwide are now using robots at their reception desks. Even calls are being managed by AI now. For example, AimeReception can see, listen, understand and talk with guests and customers.  

In a rare show of bipartisan unity, U.S. Senators Mark Warner (D-VA) and josh Haley (R-MO) recently introduced a bill to address growing concerns over AI-driven job losses. Known as the AI-Related Job Inpacts Clarity Act, the bill  requires government agencies, publicly traded companies and select private companies to share quarterly data on how artificial intelligence affects their workforces, particularly as it relates to job losses.  

Despite widespread anxiety, most employed job seekers still express confidence in their current employers.   Some 73 percent are confident in their company’s ability to provide short-term job security, with 28 percent very confident.  The survey reports that 69 percent are confident in long-term job security, with 26 percent very confident.  

However , 74 percent say changes in government policies have a bigger impact on job security than decisions made by company leadership. 

“Certainly, the recent government shutdown helped create this job insecurity environment,’’ said Jake Haulk, an economist and president emeritus/senior advisor at the Allegheny Institute For Public Policy in Pittsburgh, Pa. “I do feel this job insecurity mood has been fueled by the news media,’’ said Haulk.   

But Haulk also cautioned that job insecurity and loss can also be attributed to the geographic location of workers.  “If you are a coal miner, there may be some concern for job security,’’ Haulk said.  

As of November 2025, U.S. employers announced about 1.1 million job cuts, with the total number of layoffs and discharges for January through August 2025 reaching 13.8 million, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.  And a new government report has found that AI and other forms of automation might replace almost 100 million jobs in the United States across the next decade.  

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• 74% are concerned about finding a job during a potential or ongoing recession, with 32% saying they are very concerned. 

• Concern is highest among those with household incomes under $50K (82% vs. 72% for those earning more). 

hutdown and an unemployment rate of 4.5 percent.  

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