Nearly half of all workers in the United States plan to look for a new job within the next six months, as per the new survey released by hiring firm Robert Half. The number of workers thinking about changing jobs has increased quickly. Robert Half found that 38% planned a job search earlier in 2026, while only 27% said the same one year ago.
Experts say many employees are now reconsidering their careers and asking whether their current jobs still match their personal goals and future plans, according to Dawn Fay, Operational President at Robert Half, via Yahoo Finance. Fay said this change is not only coming from workers. Companies are also starting to hire more people as business conditions improve. She added that some employers expected artificial intelligence (AI) to increase productivity more than it actually did. Because of this, many companies are now trying to hire workers to fill important skill gaps.
Hiring confidence is growing
The increase in hiring activity is making workers feel more confident about exploring new opportunities and changing employers. A separate survey by the Conference Board found that nearly six out of ten human resources executives expect their companies to increase hiring during the next six months.
Healthcare is currently the most popular industry among people planning to switch jobs. More than half of potential job seekers said they are interested in healthcare roles, according to Robert Half via Yahoo Finance. Technology jobs are the second most popular choice among workers looking for new opportunities, according to the survey. Marketing roles are also attracting many workers who are planning to make a career move.
Younger workers are leading this trend. Most people planning to change jobs belong to Generation Z and the millennial generation. Older workers are much less interested in moving. Only about two out of ten baby boomers said they want to switch employers. In comparison, more than half of workers aged 45 or younger said they are considering changing jobs.
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Why employees want new jobs
Better benefits and workplace perks are the biggest reason workers want a new job. Around 47% of respondents listed this as a major motivation. Career growth is another important factor. About 43% said they want better opportunities for promotion and professional development. Flexible work arrangements continue to matter. Around 39% of workers said they are looking for jobs that offer remote work options, as noted by Yahoo Finance.
Higher salaries are also encouraging workers to explore new positions. About 35% said better pay is a key reason for their job search. Workplace burnout remains a concern. Around 26% of workers said feeling exhausted or stressed is pushing them to look for another job. Recent economic data suggests the US labor market has improved compared with late last year, when job openings were much harder to find.
US job market shows improvement
The US economy added 172,000 jobs in May, marking the third straight month in which job growth exceeded 100,000 positions. A separate report from payroll company ADP showed that private employers added 122,000 jobs during the same month.
Ruth Thomas, Chief Compensation Strategist at Payscale, said many workers had been staying in their jobs because uncertainty made changing employers feel risky, as cited by Yahoo Finance. Thomas said that situation is now beginning to change as workers become more comfortable exploring the job market.
Thomas explained that in many white-collar and knowledge-based professions, salaries being offered to new hires are increasing faster than pay raises being given to existing employees. A new Payscale report identified marketing operations, project management, compliance, quality control, and risk analysis as some of the jobs offering the biggest salary advantages for job seekers.
Hiring challenges still remain
Despite these positive signs, experts warn that hiring conditions are not as strong as they may appear. A recent report found that overall hiring demand has mostly returned to the levels seen in early 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from Indeed showed that job postings are currently about the same as pre-pandemic levels. Cory Stahle, Senior Economist at Indeed, said job seekers appear to be more active and engaged in their searches as the second half of the year begins, as stated by Yahoo Finance.
However, Stahle warned that workers are entering a labor market that still offers mixed opportunities depending on the industry and profession. He said healthcare jobs and skilled-trade positions continue to perform well and remain in demand.
Even so, he said overall hiring levels remain close to the lowest levels seen since 2013. Thomas agreed that the labor market remains cautious despite recent improvements. She said hiring processes are taking longer, competition for open positions remains strong, and employers currently have more power in negotiations than they did two or three years ago. However, Thomas stressed that the market is not frozen and opportunities still exist for workers with the right skills.