A new study from research firm Gartner, based on a survey of more than 3,000 employees conducted in December 2025, found workers are increasingly rejecting job offers and delaying career moves. Nearly one-third said they planned to remain in their current role because of economic volatility, even if offered a higher salary elsewhere. More than half of respondents said they had turned down their most recent job offer, up sharply from just 15 per cent two years earlier. Gartner HR Practice senior director analyst Jamie Kohn stated, "Over the past few years, we've gone from a candidate-driven market where people were changing jobs quickly to one where only about half of candidates are accepting offers." Highly skilled workers were nearly 40 per cent more likely than lower-skilled employees to stay in their current role. Kohn warned employers against interpreting this caution as loyalty, noting many workers are likely to reconsider their options once economic conditions improve. For the tech sector, Kohn said, "Demand is going down for some roles due to AI reshaping workflows, while demand is skyrocketing for other roles," creating a mismatch in the tech labour market.