POLL: 81% of Americans fear job loss amid surging layoffs and economic uncertainty
By lauraharris // 2025-04-21
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  • A survey reveals 81 percent of U.S. workers fear unemployment in 2025, with 20 percent feeling "much more worried" than in 2024, as layoffs rise and economic instability grows.
  • The survey reveals that employees are having a pessimistic labor market outlook, with 76 percent predicting increased layoffs, 92 percent preparing for a recession, 63 percent expecting more business closures and 52 percent anticipating worsening burnout due to workload and job insecurity.
  • With "The Great Stay" trend, employees hesitate to switch jobs due to uncertainty – only four percent feel completely secure, while 61 percent plan to upskill to stay competitive.
  • There are also several key burnout drivers, including job insecurity (43 percent), increased workloads (29 percent) and poor work-life balance (23 percent).
  • Analysts attribute worker anxiety to unpredictable layoffs, economic shifts and eroded trust in once-stable institutions, calling it a rational response to systemic instability.
A new survey has revealed that the vast majority of U.S. workers are deeply concerned about losing their jobs in 2025, as layoffs continue to rise and economic instability looms. According to a report by My Perfect Resume, titled "The Great Stay: 2025 State of the Labor Market," 81 percent of workers fear job loss this year, with 20 percent feeling "much more worried" about unemployment than they did in 2024. The survey, conducted among 1,115 employees on December 2024, reveals staggering levels of anxiety, with 76 percent of respondents predicting an increase in layoffs this year, 92 percent preparing for a possible recession, 63 percent believing more business will shut down in 2025 compared to 2024 and 52 percent anticipating worsening burnout rates due to increased workloads and job insecurity. (Related: Layoff saga continues as 12 more companies announce mass employment terminations.) In line with this, the new trend of the "Great Stay" has emerged – a reluctance among employees to leave their current positions amid economic uncertainty. For instance, only four percent of workers reported feeling completely secure in their jobs, while 20 percent are "much more worried" about job loss than in 2024. Additionally, 61 percent of the respondents plan to upskill this year to remain competitive, while 31 percent are considering it. Moreover, the survey reveals that economic instability is fueling workplace stress, with 43 percent of respondents citing job insecurity as the top driver of burnout. Other contributing factors include increased workloads (29 percent), lack of work-life balance (23 percent) and poor management or workplace culture (three percent).

Experts: Employees are not overreacting

Experts who commented on the results claimed that employees are not overreacting; they're simply responding to an unpredictable job market that offers little reassurance. CEO Patrice Williams Lindo of Career Nomad stated that layoffs have been occurring "in an unpredictably regular fashion since the start of the year," leaving employees feeling uneasy. "The economy feels unpredictable. Tariffs are shifting. The news cycle is nonstop. Workers are tired of being caught off guard and the anxiety is palpable," Lindo said. "It's not just fear of job loss – it's fear of being forgotten, left behind or forced to start over without a safety-net income, financial security or health insurance, just to name a few. Even high performers are staying put in jobs they've outgrown, not because they want to, but because it feels safer than stepping into the unknown right now." Meanwhile, Adriana L. Cowdin, an entrepreneur and executive coach at Be Bold Executive Coaching, said the current turbulence does not compare to past crises but has still created a "uniquely destabilizing" atmosphere. Institutions once considered stable, including government jobs, are now signaling that "nothing is guaranteed." "I've seen how political and economic shifts shape job security perceptions – whether it was the dot-com crash in 2000, the ripple effects of 9/11, the 2008 financial collapse or the COVID disruptions," she said. "When that sense of predictability vanishes, people naturally start to wonder: If I can't count on the market, the government or long-tenured companies to stay steady, what can I count on? It's a logical emotional response. We're hardwired to spot patterns and protect ourselves from risk." Visit Collapse.news for more news related to mass layoffs caused by the impending economic collapse. Watch the video below that talks about mass layoffs causing a loss of confidence in the U.S. dollar.
This video is from the What is happening channel on Brighteon.com.

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Sources include: YourNews.com MyPerfectResume.com Newsweek.com Brighteon.com
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