McKinsey Finds 47% of Workers Prioritize Pay as Job Security Jumps to No. 3
Updated
Updated · HRD America · Aug 25
McKinsey Finds 47% of Workers Prioritize Pay as Job Security Jumps to No. 3
2 articles · Updated · HRD America · Aug 25
Summary
Job security was cited by 36% of employees as a reason to switch jobs in 2026, a sharp rise from last year when it ranked last, as economic uncertainty made workers more risk-aware.
Pay and benefits remained the top driver globally at 47%, while work-life balance and flexibility ranked second and training and development fell by 12 percentage points.
McKinsey’s HR Monitor drew on 1,300 HR professionals and 5,500 employees across 10 countries and found employers and workers now agree on the top three job-change drivers after a 2025 disconnect.
The talent market stayed tight, with employers unable to fill 11.6% of vacancies versus 11% in 2025, while median time to hire reached 70 days and the mean exceeded 90 days.
McKinsey said employers should shorten hiring processes, emphasize tangible benefits in their value proposition, and use talent pipelines and AI matching to fill roles faster.