What is Career Cushioning?
Career cushioning is a workplace trend you might already be doing without realizing it. It happens when employees take small but strategic steps, like updating their LinkedIn, learning new skills, or networking at an event to stay prepared for future job opportunities while still employed.
This strategy is picking up followers because job security, especially in some sectors like tech, is subpar when compared to the 2010s. Economic uncertainty, layoffs, and shifting industry trends—like some doubts around H1-B visas—have made people more cautious about their careers. Instead of waiting for bad news, they’re taking control by staying ready for whatever comes next. And since layoffs are surprise moves and no one tells about them in advance, workers are career cushioning just in case. Actually, over half of U.S. workers are actively looking for new jobs!
In this guide, we’ll break down what career cushioning really means, why it’s spreading, and how employees gain from it. We’ll also go through how this trend can impact employers, including potential concerns about loyalty and the ways organizations can respond.
Understanding Career Cushioning
In strict terms, career cushioning refers to the proactive actions individuals take to secure their professional future because of possible job instabilities. It’s not just carrying out a job search. It includes activities such as networking, upskilling, building a personal brand, or exploring alternative job opportunities—all while remaining employed in their current role. It’s almost like a career insurance (although it does involve a high level of uncertainty).
Unlike job-hopping, which involves frequently changing employers to advance one’s career, career cushioning focuses on preparation without the immediate intention to leave a current role. It also differs from traditional career planning, which typically targets long-term goals within a stable setting. Instead, career cushioning is specifically about staying prepared for unexpected shifts in the job market.
Employees adopt career cushioning strategies for various reasons, including low job satisfaction with their current role, concerns about job security, or internal changes within their organization.
Signs of Career Cushioning in the Workplace
As an employer, career cushioning isn’t always easy to detect, but there are some clear indicators that an employee is preparing for future job opportunities while still employed. These behaviors don’t necessarily mean someone is actively looking for a new job, but they do suggest they’re keeping their options open. These might be some career cushioning tactics:
Networking Outside the Company
Employees engaged in career cushioning often expand their professional networks beyond their current workplace. This can involve attending industry events, connecting with a career coach or professionals on LinkedIn, or engaging in casual conversations with former colleagues. While networking is a common career development practice, an increase in external networking—especially with recruiters or professionals in competing companies—may signal career cushioning.
Updating Resumes and LinkedIn Profiles
A sudden or frequent update to a LinkedIn profile, including refreshed job descriptions, new skills, or a more stylish summary, can indicate that an employee is looking into backup career opportunities. Similarly, revising a resume, even if it’s not being actively submitted for jobs, is a basic step in career cushioning. Employees want to be ready to apply for roles quickly should the need arise. (It's very hard for an employer to detect if an employee has updated their resume, though.)
Learning New Skills or Certifications
Upskilling is universally beneficial, but when employees proactively pursue new certifications, online courses, or training sessions outside their immediate job requirements, it can be a sign of career cushioning.
Engaging with Recruiters
Employees who are career cushioning may start having conversations with recruiters, whether through job board messages, industry events, or referrals. They might not be actively applying for jobs, but they keep communication channels open to stay informed about market trends, salaries, and potential job openings.
Pros and Cons of Career Cushioning
Career cushioning comes with both advantages and drawbacks, depending on the perspective. For employees, it can be a proactive way to take control of their careers, but for employers, it may raise concerns about engagement and retention.
Benefits for Employees
One of the biggest advantages of career cushioning is the sense of job security it provides. In an unpredictable job market, layoffs, company restructuring, and sudden industry shifts can happen without warning. Employees who keep their resumes updated, keep strong professional networks, and stay informed about job trends are better positioned to adapt to these changes. Instead of scrambling to find work after losing a job, they have already built a foundation that allows them to transition into new opportunities.
If might not be the end goal, but still, career cushioning stimulates skill development. Many employees end up learning new skills or earning certifications to be more competitive in the job market. For example, a marketing professional who learns data analytics or coding may unlock higher-paying roles in digital marketing or product management. And even within their current organization, employees who proactively expand their skill sets may find themselves better positioned for promotions or lateral moves into more lucrative roles.
Another key benefit is the confidence and peace of mind that comes with having options. Instead of feeling trapped in a role due to financial concerns or limited opportunities, employees can approach their careers with a sense of control.
Potential Downsides
While career cushioning can benefit employees, it also has potential drawbacks, especially from an employer’s perspective. One major concern is loyalty. When employers notice employees frequently networking, updating their LinkedIn profiles, or earning certifications that don’t align with their current roles, they may question the worker's long-term commitment to the company.
Another challenge is the risk of scattered focus. If employees invest too much time and energy into career cushioning, their engagement and productivity in their current roles may decline. An employee who prioritizes networking with recruiters or completing online courses during work hours might struggle to meet deadlines or contribute effectively to team projects. Over time, this can impact performance evaluations and even lead to missed opportunities for growth within their current company.
How Employers Can Respond
Rather than seeing career cushioning as a threat, employers can use it as an opportunity to improve retention, engagement, and career development. Let’s see how companies can do this:
Supporting Professional Development
One of the most effective ways to prevent employees from pursuing opportunities elsewhere is by offering very clear paths for career growth. Many employees start career cushioning when they feel stagnant in their roles. And employees always want to have clear roadmaps on which they can progress and grow. Also, companies need to show workers clear steps to move up or switch roles. If workers don’t know how to get promoted, they might switch jobs or start cushioning their careers. And some organizations adopt internal job rotation programs or leadership training to allow employees to test different career paths within the organization.
When workers feel unsure about their future at a company, they might start looking for backup plans. To stop this, managers should often speak with their teams about their goals and how they can grow at the company. Employees will consider this ongoing career advice and will usually take it as an indication they are doing well (otherwise, management wouldn't tell them about what's next).
Improving Job Satisfaction
Employees who feel valued and engaged in their work are, as expected, less likely to prepare for an exit. Competitive salaries and benefits play a big role in retention, and dissatisfaction with compensation is, quite probably, a common driver of career cushioning.
Companies can help workers balance their job and personal life. Let employees pick their work hours, work from home, or get help for stress or anxiety. This can stop employees from wanting to look for other jobs. When companies praise workers often, give raises, bonuses, or shout-outs in meetings, it makes workers feel they belong, and they are less likely to search for jobs elsewhere.
For example, Salesforce grants workers $100 every month for wellness (like gym memberships or cooking classes, according to their site).
Seeing to The Well-Being of Employees (And Helping them Speak Up)
When employees face bullying or unfair treatment at work, they typically feel unsafe and start looking for other jobs. Indeed, those employees will possibly leave, and that's that. But that statement will ripple through the organization and won't stop there. Because if colleagues notice that another worker is being treated unfairly, and they suspect it could happen to them in the near future, they'll start cushioning their careers. To stop this, companies must make sure employees can speak up about problems without fear of retaliation.
Help your staff do the right thing with the anonymous whistleblowing tool →
Career Cushioning FAQs
Is career cushioning the same as moonlighting?
No, career cushioning and moonlighting are different concepts. Career cushioning refers to preparing for potential job changes by networking, learning new skills, or updating job application materials while remaining fully committed to a current role. Moonlighting, on the other hand, involves actively working a second job or side gig alongside a primary job. While career cushioning is more about readiness for future opportunities, moonlighting involves managing multiple sources of income at the same time.
Still, moonlighting is not the same as being overemployed. Moonlighting often means that the employee is working two jobs, but not all at once. For example, one of your Marketing staffers might be working as a grocery store clerk at night. That's moonlighting, and it's not career cushioning because your staff member is trying to make ends meet by working one job during the daytime and another one at night.
Overemployment, on the other hand, is a quite new strategy by which remote workers perform more than one job simultaneously. A person who is career cushioning might be setting their profile up to be over-employed.
How is career cushioning different from passive job searching?
Career cushioning is a broader and more proactive approach than passive job searching. Passive job seekers may not be actively looking for a new position but are open to opportunities if they come across them. They might occasionally browse job listings, entertain recruiter inquiries, and follow up on job alerts. In contrast, career cushioning goes beyond simply keeping an eye on the market. It involves actively building a professional safety net by learning new skills and positioning oneself for future career moves, even if there is no immediate reason to leave a current job.
Does career cushioning go against company policies?
Career cushioning itself typically does not violate company policies, as it mostly involves personal career development activities outside work hours. Still, certain actions, such as using company time or resources for job searching or speaking with recruiters during work hours, could go against workplace policies.
Companies often have rules about how employees act at work or take other jobs. Workers should check what their contract says they can or can’t do. If, as an employee, you plan to look for backup jobs or side work, make sure you obey the rules and stay fair. As a rule of thumb, though, remember that companies usually don't let their staff work on something else—a side hustle, a job interview—during work hours.
If you're an HR representative and need to create guidelines around this topic, you can check our HR policy generator.