Nearly Half of Workers Want a New Job — and Money Isn't Even the Main Reason

If you’ve been spending more time lately scrolling job ads and polishing your LinkedIn profile, you’re not alone: New research shows that nearly half of workers today are searching for the exit — but not for the reasons you might expect.

According to a survey of more than 2,000 white-collar workers conducted on behalf of HR consulting firm Robert Half, 46% said they’re planning to look for a different job in the second half of 2026, a sharp jump from the 27% who said the same one year ago.

America’s professional class has grown increasingly restless in recent months, and for good reason: Wage growth has slowed while inflation remains stubbornly high, and the threat of mass layoffs triggered by AI is potentially just one all-hands meeting (or worse yet, a mass email) away.

Perhaps surprisingly, money isn't the top motivator. Pay didn’t even make the top three reasons workers cited for wanting to find a new role.

Nearly half said they were on the hunt for better benefits, with 47% citing that as a driving force, while 43% think their career advancement prospects would be greener on another hill. (Respondents could choose up to three reasons for wanting to job-hop.)

Rounding out the top three motivations for job-hopping was the option for remote work, cited by just under 40%. A higher salary, on the other hand, was a primary motivator for 35%.

Why benefits aren't 'fringe' anymore

The results show that what professionals want today has changed, according to Dawn Fay, operational president of Robert Half. “For many people, pay is still a major factor and will always be part of the equation, but we're seeing more job seekers place equal weight on how a role fits into their day-to-day life,” she tells Money via email.

The freedom to work where and when they want is becoming more important, she adds. “Flexibility can have a big impact on things like commute time, family life, and overall wellbeing,” she says. “For many, it's those types of factors that ultimately tip the scale when choosing” an employer.

Robert Half found that other highly sought-after benefits include those pertaining to retirement planning, health and wellness.

The focus on healthcare isn't surprising, says David F. Carvajal, founder and CEO of tech recruiting firm Dave Partners.

One reason benefits are a primary inducement to switch jobs is that workers at different life and career stages prioritize benefits differently, he explains. In fast-growing industries that power job growth in some sectors of the economy, scrappy startups that embrace a “move fast and break things” ethos might not expend the resources on a robust benefits program.

Carvajal says the tech sector is a prime example of this phenomenon. When a company's workforce is comprised of healthy young adults, skimpy or high-cost health insurance might not be a dealbreaker, for instance. But as those companies grow, Carvajal says, they have to expand their leadership ranks and recruit people with specific skills and experience. These workers are typically older and more likely to have families and middle-aged health concerns.

And as premiums, deductibles and other healthcare-related expenses have climbed across the board, a growing number of employees — even well-paid white-collar workers — are struggling under the cost burden. As a result, “Workers are doing the math on the whole package” rather than focusing on just the salary, Carvajal says.

Benefits are typically one of the last things to be discussed during the interview process. That’s often by design, Carvajal says.

Employers "have to at least create the perception that they’re employee-friendly, [but] companies sometimes try to play games," he cautions, by being deliberately vague about the generosity of their benefits.

As a job-seeker, you’ll probably need to advocate for yourself by raising the topic earlier, particularly if you think something like the cost of health insurance or the freedom to work from home could be a dealbreaker.

"If you’re in that situation where it's important to you, bring it up earlier in the conversation," Carvajal advises. "Candidates should feel comfortable to inquire and ask deep questions about the benefits programs."

How to improve your benefits without job-hopping

The good news is that you might be able to secure a benefits upgrade without having to find a new job, particularly if you're a top earner or have in-demand skills. If your performance reviews knock it out of the park, that’s a good time to open a discussion about enhanced benefits, according to Carvajal.

Remember, he says, "It’s not just your salary that can be negotiated."

If you’re looking for a remote schedule, you're in luck: Fay says this is the category of benefits where employers tend to have — and offer — the most flexibility.

“Many employers are often open to discussing flexibility or hybrid work first,” she says. From there, other benefits you might be able to negotiate include increased resources for learning and development, tuition reimbursement, wellness stipends or employee assistance.

You might even be able to improve your health insurance circumstances, according to Carvajal. If your employer pays, say, 80% of the premium for individual workers but only 50% of family-plan premiums, ask if it can compensate you to make up for that. (Just keep in mind that some types of benefits, such as stipends, may not automatically be subject to withholding taxes. Make sure your withholdings are sufficient so you don’t get an unpleasant surprise when tax time rolls around.)

And just as companies charter private jets for top executives while worker bees fly coach on business trips, large employers sometimes have higher-tier health insurance, too.

“Oftentimes, companies will have something like an executive-level benefits program,” Carvajal says. While they might not offer these cushier benefits to rank-and-file workers, there’s nothing stopping you from asking for them.

“It’s completely fair for candidates at any level to benefit from that,” he says.