"The U.S. labor market is unusually tight, with limited hiring and firing prompting many office workers to reconsider their careers. A 2025 Flexjobs report found 62% of white-collar workers would switch to trade jobs for better stability and pay, while others aim to start businesses, retire early, move abroad, or take career breaks. Younger generations, especially Gen Z and Millennials, feel unprepared by education and training for the workforce."
"62% of white-collar workers said they'd swap their career for a trade if it meant better employment stability and better pay. This fit with a seeming pattern of a day dream by the desk jobbers, as 45% said they'd like to switch fields entirely, 44% to start their own business, and 40% wanted to retired early. A significant minority (29%) wanted to "do nothing for a while.""
The U.S. labor market is unusually tight, characterized by little hiring and little firing and resulting in narrow job opportunities. Return-to-office mandates reduced perceived work-life balance for many white-collar employees. Wages outpaced inflation by only 0.8% according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, contributing to dissatisfaction. Sixty-two percent of white-collar workers would swap careers for trades promising better stability and pay. Significant shares want to switch fields (45%), start businesses (44%), retire early (40%), or take a break (29%). Younger workers report feeling unprepared by education and training for current workforce demands, and new entrants face heightened difficulty entering employment.
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