Employers Are Out of Touch. Job Seekers Are Over It. What Now?

Key Takeaways:

• A new Indeed survey reveals that 85% of employers anticipate meeting their 2026 talent goals, compared to 59% of workers who are confident in their own career goals — a clear perception gap shaping hiring and retention.
• Job seekers know what they want from employers: to walk the walk with skills-first hiring, disclose how AI is used in the process and fund real upskilling to restore trust and momentum.
• This article provides data-backed actions for talent leaders: how to clarify skills and pathways, increase AI transparency with human oversight and invest in upskilling to strengthen workforce outcomes.

A new survey from Indeed finds that most employers believe they understand what their workforce wants. Meanwhile, the majority of job seekers say employers don’t have a clue. 

Indeed’s survey of U.S. job seekers and employers, conducted by YouGov, reveals that both sides are drifting further apart.¹ Confident employers stand on one side of the chasm while cautious workers idle on the other. Each is convinced they’re doing their best, yet both are still missing the mark.

The common ground is that both workers and employers seek stability amid economic concerns. However, their core needs are at odds. The result is what we’re calling a “Stability Standoff” — optimism butting heads with anxiety, employer growth strategies risking retention and trust hinging on whether leaders can turn listening into action.

Below are some survey highlights, along with actionable insights from Senior Talent Advisor Kyle M.K. and Head of Indeed’s Job Search Academy Matt Berndt on what it all means for your workforce — and your business.

A Confidence Gap: Employers Expect Smooth Sailing, Workers See Storms

Our data shows a sharp confidence divide for 2026 work-related goals, driven by very different market assessments: employers are more optimistic, while workers brace for risk.

• 85% of employers are confident that their organization will achieve its workforce and talent priorities in 2026 vs. 59% of job seekers who expressed confidence that they’ll achieve their career priorities.

• Despite labor‑market pressures on entry-level jobs, Gen Z is most confident about their careers (77%).
• Only 20% of job seekers say the overall job market is improving going into the new year, compared to 50% of employers. In fact, 41% of job seekers think it’s getting worse. 
• Bottom line: Employer optimism can be a blind spot when workers are bracing for risk.

The root causes of the confidence gap — and how leaders fix it

Matt Berndt: Both sides do a poor job of communicating with each other — employers at specifying skills, capabilities and qualifications; job seekers at presenting them. In interviews, employers fall back on historical questions that don’t elicit real skills, and job seekers are passive rather than interviewing the company. 

The reality is that people don’t like the process of looking for a job; they want to be understood and hired. But as job seekers, we have to clarify our goals and embed them into our online profiles, resumes and interview advocacy. This ensures we’re understood for who we are and what we want to do, not just what we’ve done.

Kyle M.K.: Sentiment is shaky because internal pulse surveys rarely ask the right questions (and only about half of employers run them), so leaders can’t act. When nothing changes six months down the line, trust erodes fast.

Risks Ahead: More Job Hugging, Gig Stacking, Quiet Quitting

Burnout is a top concern on both sides, but our survey shows that employers expect more “996” culture in 2026 (working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. six days a week) — a model at odds with wellbeing.

• 38% of employers are concerned about employee wellbeing and burnout (their #1 concern), similar to 33% of job seekers (their #2).

• 29% of employers worry about rising employee expectations (flexibility, pay, strong values).
• Job seekers’ 2026 feelings are mixed:
  • They’re confident in skills/meaningful work (32%) and optimistic about possibilities (29%) ...
  • But anxious about layoffs (24%) and frustrated by unclear growth/pay (20%).
• Disengagement risks are rising:
  • Job seekers expect more gig stacking, job hugging, quiet firing, quiet quitting and rage applying — trends likely to worsen burnout.
  • Employers foresee all trends to increase — including 996 — but their high confidence may dull urgency to counter negative ones.

How worker leverage has shifted: values, flexibility and the end of 996

Kyle M.K.: 996 culture and work wellbeing can’t coexist. Recent research shows that more office time doesn’t guarantee better collaboration and shorter workweeks can increase productivity. Doubling down on “hardcore” practices isn’t better for employees or your business.

Matt Berndt: Younger generations know the old “do a good job, and you’ll have a long-term career here” social contract is gone, so they’re saying, “I’ve got to take care of myself.” Many will gig-stack if it creates opportunity and provides the flexibility they seek.

This growing agency shifts leverage: It used to be pure supply-and-demand, but workers now weigh where work fits into life, prioritizing values alignment and flexibility — and many, especially Gen Z, will trade slightly higher pay for it.

The Unifier of Upskilling: Opportunity and Growth

Employers and job seekers diverge on skepticism in skills-first practices and embracing AI but align on upskilling as the path to opportunity and growth.

• Job seekers do not feel employers are willing to take risks on them, despite what employers claim.
  • Employers: 46% expect to see more "bet hiring" (taking chances on nontraditional candidates), while only 22% of job seekers do.
  • 35% of job seekers expect to see less (see the heat map above). 
• Employers are excited about AI. Job seekers — not so much.
  • Implementing AI is a 2026 priority for 40% of employers.
  • Just 13% of job seekers are excited about AI, while 35% are concerned.
• Shared solution: upskilling.
  • 45% of employers say certification programs would solve talent challenges.
  • 34% of job seekers say access to upskilling courses would help them overcome career challenges.

Turn confusion into confidence: AI transparency, appeals and upskilling paths

Matt Berndt: Your employees know AI isn’t going away and will impact their work. The big question is how? This unknown breeds uncertainty, and that’s the disconnect: Both employers and workers are using AI, but they don’t understand or trust how the other is using it. This isn’t a tech problem; it’s human. Employers and workers need to use AI collaboratively and transparently. For workers, if you’re not using AI intentionally at work or in your job search, the AI tools can’t help you develop and communicate your skills, grow professionally, advance in your career or excel in your current role.

Kyle M.K.: Be transparent about the work, be explicit about AI’s role and offer real upskilling backed with outcomes. This helps job seekers tailor skills-first resumes and rebuild confidence in the process. It all comes down to trust, and you have to earn it before anything else.

Keep an eye out for more in this research series on Indeed Insights with our newsletter. Next up: Indeed’s Kyle M.K. offers employers his playbook on how to address the real issues behind workplace trends like job hugging and quiet quitting.

¹Indeed Survey with YouGov, Nov. 13-28, 2025. Total N=2,019 job seekers and 1,019 employers.

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