Job Hugging by Enneagram Type: The Real Reason You Stay in a Job You Hate

On average, we spend 85,000 hours of our lives at work, which translates to over 25% of our waking hours. Many of us spend more time with our colleagues than with our spouses so it can seem obvious that being in a satisfying, fulfilling job is important.

But today’s environment isn't always set up for career satisfaction. You might have heard about quiet quitting, when someone stays at their job but just barely, either as a reaction to poor pay and lack of recognition or as a rejection of the expectation that work should be a person's entire life. Quiet cracking is another recent phenomenon, a slow burnout that leads employees to be less and less productive. Now, with artificial intelligence changing (and sometimes destroying) jobs, and global economics looking more unsteady each day, there’s a new trend you might be experiencing yourself without knowing its name. It is called job hugging.

Job hugging is when you stay in a role you would normally leave because you are more afraid of the unknown than your current unsatisfying work situation. It means you put up with things you might otherwise never tolerate.

A sudden policy change to be back in the office five days a week? No problem. A mandate to use AI to 10x boost your department’s productivity? You’re on it. No raises this year despite the rising cost of living? Not your favorite, but you’ll find a way to make it work. 

Research from Monster found that 75% of employees plan to stay put in their jobs through 2027. This statistic is eye-opening on its own, but it’s almost shocking when read alongside other research which found the number of people planning to job search has halved in just one year. The numbers clearly show that people are planning to remain in their jobs, but their reasons for staying aren’t all the same. Is it fear, inertia, a lack of opportunity or something altogether different?  To take a closer look at the job-hugging phenomenon, we used the Enneagram to consider why people may be holding onto their jobs tighter than ever.

Type 1: Perfectionist

“At least I know what is expected of me here.”

The improvers of the Enneagram have high standards and a strong sense of responsibility.  When they consider taking a new job, front and center in their mind is the question “Can I do good work here?”  In this period of massive change, it is harder and harder to know the answer to that. Will they be expected to use unfamiliar tools? Will a new boss be competent and fair? Will the new environment be supportive or cutthroat? All of these factors weigh heavily on the mind of a Type 1.

Under stress, Type 1s move to Type 4, making them more emotionally driven than normal.  While a Type 1 might be deeply unhappy in their current job, it is easier to dwell on that dissatisfaction than to take action. The normally action-oriented Type 1 freezes and stays put in their position, and ironically, the more unhappy they are,  the harder it becomes to summon the energy to leave. 

Type 2: Giver

“Everyone really needs me now, this isn’t the time to leave.”

With a focus on the needs of other people, Type 2s value connection and their personal and professional relationships. They get their own needs met through these relationships so leaving a job can feel threatening. The prospect of taking a new position feels like abandoning those who depend on them. 

When faced with prolonged stress, Type 2s move to Type 8. They might become territorial and controlling. Without realizing it, they subconsciously create even more dependencies, further tying them to a job they can’t stand.

Type 3: Achiever

“I’ve built my reputation here. People know and respect me. Changing jobs means starting from square one again.”

Type 3s are focused on success and looking good in the eyes of other people. They pour a lot of time and energy into their image and being well-regarded. Changing jobs means starting all over with a whole new set of people to impress, and it can feel risky. Is there any chance of failure? Is it certain they can be successful in the new position?  Type 3s are calculated risk-takers who don’t take spontaneous gambles that have little chance of paying off. When they job hug, it’s because the prospect of failure is more frightening than the prospect of staying in their current position.

Type 3s move to Type 9 under stress which renders them passive and even sloth-like. The path of least resistance is to do nothing and that’s what they opt for.

Type 4: Individualist

“Yes, I’m suffering in this job but…that feeling is familiar."

Type 4s have a wide emotional range and high emotional fluency. They are more in touch with their inner world than most of the rest of us but their habit of attention goes to what is missing. So, suffering feels familiar. It isn’t that Type 4s are masochistic, but they are often able to tolerate difficult work environments, especially if they think the work is meaningful. They stay in unhappy roles because suffering can sometimes be equated with work; it’s just the way it is.

Type 4s move to Type 2 under stress, and this can lead them to take on emotional burden for the team, becoming the person everyone confides in. Being the emotional anchor unintentionally binds them to a workplace they might deeply want to leave.

Type 5: Investigator

“I know what to expect here. A new job presents too many unknown variables.”

Known for their rational minds and their careful analysis, Type 5s are concerned about being overwhelmed by the demands of others. They look for facts and information to support their position. When faced with a less-than-ideal work situation versus an uncertain new job, their mind will carefully measure the trade-offs. And since it is hard to measure what you don’t know, Type 5s often elect to stay put, even if they are unhappy.

When under stress, Type 5s make the journey to Type 7 which leads them to consider lots of potential scenarios, without ever really following through on any of them. This might look like a person who spends a lot of time job hunting, but never actually makes a move.

Type 6: Skeptic

“If it’s the devil I know or the devil I don’t know, I’ll take the devil I know.”

Type Sixes are gifted at seeing what could go wrong so while they consider the dangers in staying at their current job, even more vividly, they imagine the dangers of leaving. They have a deeply rooted fear of abandonment and being left without support, so the prospect of trusting that a new environment will be a healthy, supportive one can feel out of reach. They might complain a lot about their current job, but the idea of leaving feels terrifying.

When contracted, Type 6s move to Type 3 which makes fear of failure a major focus. Rather than job hunting, they overwork to prove themselves, confusing everyone as they seem more committed than ever.

Type 7: Enthusiast

“This job is just my 9 to 5 so I can do other things. A new job might not give me the same flexibility.”

It is easy to imagine the enthusiasts of the Enneagram are the least likely to stay at a job they don’t like. This is a person who hates feeling bad, who believes in a more positive future and who is generally comfortable with change. But the holy grail for Type 7s is their freedom, and they often immediately eliminate anything that could threaten their freedom. The prospect of a new job is exactly that. The Type 7 knows they don’t like their current situation, but they reframe it into a positive one to ensure their freedom is secure.

Under stress, Type 7s move to Type 1, and their usual casual optimism turns into rigid, calculated reasoning. They might make a mental list of concrete, defensible benefits like a flexible work schedule, a steady paycheck or a high number of vacation days. They stay firmly put at a job they don’t like to support all the time they aren’t at their job.

Type 8: Challenger

“I fought my way to where I am now. No way I’m giving this up.”

Type 8s are known for their determination and resourcefulness. They often rise to leadership roles and with a habit of attention that focuses on power and power dynamics, they like being the top dog. Job hugging happens if they feel they’ve worked hard to get to their position and they don’t want to risk a loss of power. That said, this is someone who is sensitive to injustice and even the most job-hugging Type 8 might walk away if they feel they weren’t treated fairly, for example if someone less qualified was promoted above them.

Type 8s move to Type 5 under stress and it can look like a bear retreating into their cave to lick their wounds until they feel fully healed.  A Type 8 might quietly check out while still receiving their paycheck.

 Type 9: Peacemaker

“I’ll just wait another year or two to see how things shake out…”

Type Nines love harmony, hate conflict and are famously resistant to change. It isn’t that they don’t like the idea of new beginnings (they actually love the idea of them), but whenever you change you must sever the old to build the new, and this severing feels like a disruption to their harmony. 

Under stress, Type 9s move to Type 6 as their mind starts to run on overdrive about what can go wrong. No option seems like a good option so they freeze, choosing to make no change, until they feel less uncertain.

Don’t Let Job Hugging Become Quiet Cracking

If you recognized yourself in one of these descriptions, it is worth exploring all aspects of your situation. You don’t want to job hug to the point where you quietly crack so it is worth taking an honest inventory of your options. Nobody knows what's coming next, but staying because you're scared to leave isn't the same as staying because it's right. If you want to dig deeper, learn your best (and worst) work environment by Enneagram type so you can better decide if you should stay or go.