Layoff anxiety hasn\u2019t faded since 2019 \u2014 it\u2019s intensified and evolved.<\/b> <\/span><\/p>\n This post reviews key stats from both studies and examines some of the more recent layoff trends to show how employee sentiment around job security has shifted, and what employers can do now to respond.<\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_button button_url=”https:\/\/explore.intoo.com\/the-employee-mindset-report\/?utm_source=website-blog&utm_medium=direct&utm_campaign=stats-on-layoff-anxiety” url_new_window=”on” button_text=”Read the newest statistics on layoff anxiety” _builder_version=”4.21.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”13px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content”][\/et_pb_button][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.21.0″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” theme_builder_area=”post_content” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n When we first published <\/span>19 Fascinating Stats on Layoff Anxiety<\/span><\/i> in 2019, the U.S. labor market was strong by many traditional measures. Yet even then, nearly half of employed Americans reported anxiety about losing their jobs.<\/span><\/p>\n Several years later, new research from INTOO and The Harris Poll shows that layoff anxiety has not only persisted but has also intensified, evolved, and expanded to new groups of workers.<\/span><\/p>\n Below are <\/span>19 key stats<\/b>, combining insights from the original 2019 study with findings from INTOO\u2019s most recent <\/span>Employee Mindset Report<\/span><\/i>, created in collaboration with The Harris Poll, to show how employee sentiment around job security has changed over time.<\/span><\/p>\n Even during a strong economy, nearly half of workers worried about job loss.<\/span><\/p>\n Past experience played a significant role in shaping fear about future job security.<\/span><\/p>\n Economic uncertainty loomed large in employee perceptions, even before major disruptions followed.<\/span><\/p>\n Lack of clarity and informal communication amplified fear.<\/span><\/p>\n Seeing reductions firsthand made job loss feel more immediate and personal.<\/span><\/p>\n Early-career employees felt especially vulnerable.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite widespread anxiety, many workers felt ill-equipped to respond if it happened.<\/span><\/p>\n Renters, parents, and those without college degrees reported higher vulnerability.<\/span><\/p>\n The data suggested anxiety was not just cyclical. Rather, it was cultural.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n What affected nearly half the workforce in 2019 now affects a clear majority.<\/span><\/p>\n This sharp rise signals a structural shift in how employees perceive job stability.<\/span><\/p>\n Economic volatility remains central to employee concern.<\/span><\/p>\n Technology-driven disruption is now a major source of fear.<\/span><\/p>\n Recession anxiety has increased by nearly 40% compared to 2019 levels.<\/span><\/p>\n Workers in this age range, who often have greater financial and leadership responsibilities, feel increasingly vulnerable.<\/span><\/p>\n This highlights concern about long-term career relevance, not just short-term layoffs.<\/span><\/p>\n Perceived management effectiveness is now tightly linked to employee trust.<\/span><\/p>\n Skepticism around automation-related messaging is widespread.<\/span><\/p>\n Job security has become a competitive differentiator\u2014sometimes even more valuable than compensation.<\/span><\/p>\n Looking at these findings side by side reveals a clear trajectory:<\/span><\/p>\n In short, employees are no longer reacting to isolated events. They are responding to patterns.<\/span><\/p>\n Layoff anxiety influences <\/span>employee engagement<\/span><\/a>, retention, productivity, and employer brand, whether layoffs actually occur or not.<\/span><\/p>\n Organizations that want to compete for talent must now:<\/span><\/p>\n
<\/b>Here\u2019s what the <\/span>Employee Mindset Report<\/span><\/a> tells us:<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Layoff Anxiety: What Employees Told Us in the Past<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![\"Study](\"https:\/\/www.intoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/02\/1.jpg\")
<\/span><\/p>\nWhat the Most Recent Research Reveals<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.intoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/01\/AdobeStock_586141040.jpeg\")
<\/span><\/p>\nWhat These 19 Stats Tell Us<\/span><\/h2>\n
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![\"Study](\"https:\/\/www.intoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/02\/2.jpg\")
<\/span><\/p>\nWhy This Matters for Employers<\/span><\/h2>\n
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<\/span><\/h3>\n![\"INTOO](\"https:\/\/www.intoo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2026\/02\/3.jpg\")
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