Resign to not resigning

The article examines “job hugging” in Singapore, where workers stay in their roles due to fears of retrenchment and an uncertain job market, especially in tech. NTU economist Asst Professor Chua Yeow Hwee notes that no industry is truly “safe”, with widespread layoffs and tougher competition as employers take longer to hire and use multiple selection rounds. The rise of AI tools also creates a “black hole” effect where many feel their resumes never reach human reviewers. NTU economics professor Nattavudh Powdthavee adds that psychological factors such as loss aversion and the “region-beta paradox” further drive job hugging, as people cling to comfortable but unfulfilling jobs out of fear of worse alternatives, while those in truly bad roles are more likely to quit and find something better.

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