Beyond AI Fear: The Real Reasons Tech Professionals Are Staying Put in Their Jobs

The Great Stay: Why Tech Talent Isn't Job Hunting

Technology professionals appear to be less likely to be job hunting and seem to be more satisfied with their current positions. Or perhaps they're staying put because the job market has become increasingly challenging?

Professionals are significantly less concerned about layoffs according to a recent survey from Indeed. Currently, only 31% express worry about layoffs at their companies, down from 39% a year ago. Even more dramatically, the percentage who would consider looking for new jobs after layoffs that didn't directly impact them dropped from 70% to just 41%.

The AI Factor: Reality vs. Perception

While AI concerns persist, the data reveals some surprising trends:

• 26% of tech professionals report colleagues being let go due to AI implementation
• 35% are concerned that AI could potentially take over their roles
• Tech management postings have decreased by 19% from a year ago
• Non-management tech professional postings are down by 34%

Indeed's findings are based on comprehensive job-posting data and surveys of 1,000 tech professionals conducted between May 22 and June 10, 2025.

High-Demand Skills Gap

On a positive note, Indeed identified several tech skills in high demand but rarely listed on candidate resumes:

• Distributed computing
• Machine learning frameworks
• Model deployment
• Site reliability engineering

Market Risk vs. AI Threat

"The threat from AI is not what's causing tech people to stay put," emphasized Steve Morris, founder and CEO at NewMedia.com. "It's the riskiness of the job market."

So far, AI has largely not led to the widespread job cuts many feared. Morris added: "Most tech workers do not want to quit right now because it's such a risky time to find a new job. And those who do have a say in how AI is deployed in their teams are, on average, happier about it."

Multiple Factors Driving the 'Great Stay'

Caroline Stokes, workplace author and coach, described the current environment as "a cacophony of unstable environments—tariffs, AI, geopolitics—that are making people stay, make do, or lock in."

Professionals are increasingly skittish about joining new companies they don't deeply know. "What looks like a solid bet to join a major company falls short right now when they hear of big companies closing studios and projects later in the year because of financial impacts," Stokes explained.

The Competitive Job Market Reality

Phil Willburn, vice president of people analytics at Workday, confirmed that market and economic uncertainty—more than AI—are holding back job hunts. Workday's data shows that while hiring demand in tech remains high with new job requisition volume growing 29% year-over-year, the market itself is slow and hyper-competitive.

More than half of open tech roles (57%) take over 30 days to fill, and each job offer attracts an average of 40 applications. "This challenging process means that even if employees want to leave, they struggle to find a new role," Willburn noted.

Strategic Career Moves in Uncertain Times

Thalia-Maria Tourikis, certified health coach at Headway app, observed that "people aren't staying put because they're comfortable, but it's kind of a strategic move in their careers."

Roei Samuel, founder and CEO of Connectd, described how professionals are responding: "It's about agency in a time of stagnation, taking control of their careers by diversifying income streams, choosing meaningful projects on their own terms, and building resilience against whatever disruption comes next in the market."

Samuel concluded: "For the smartest and most-driven portion of the talent field, the fear just got channeled into something more productive than panic or paralysis."