Career Cushioning: Why Employees Prepare to Leave Even When They’re Happy at Work

The Rise of Career Cushioning

Why would someone start preparing to leave when they’re not unhappy in their current position? The rising trend of career cushioning could be the answer. This could be a new way to secure your career and it’s all about the “hope for the best but prepare for the worst” attitude. More and more people have side projects and incomes outside of their 9 to 5 work, look for a mentor to develop even more professionally, create posts regularly on LinkedIn, and build their network. Some years ago most people only focused their energy on such activities when they were actively looking for a new position. But a few big changes affected the majority of employees in a way that they feel they need to be ready at every moment for a big career change.

Let’s face it: economic and technological uncertainty, AI-driven transformations, layoff culture, and declining perceived job security force people to do more outside-of-work career development because they never know when they will be the next victim of the above-mentioned things. That doesn’t mean dissatisfaction towards their current position - they just want to play it a little safer with proactive career planning.

What Career Cushioning Looks Like in Practice

There are many different ways for you if you want to start career cushioning today. I want to highlight again that you don’t have to plan to leave for this - it’s enough that you want to have multiple options outside of your current job.

Below I collected some examples to make it more understandable:

• Starting a side project: This can give you more income, brand new or developed skills, and you could include it later in your CV in case it has any relevancy to your profession. Plus project management is a plus for almost every profession.

• Investing in personal brand building on LinkedIn: The more people who see you, the more you can sell your skills, services, etc.

• Expanding professional networking: As you’ll never know where a new connection could lead you. You can find more than just new jobs in this way - maybe a much-needed course or a new service that even your current company could benefit from.

• Seeking mentors or coaches outside the company: I know it’s self-promotion but I couldn’t leave it out. Experienced professionals who already solved multiple times the problems you are currently facing are always worth reaching out to.

• Taking online courses or certifications: Internal trainings are great but limited only to your position and the company’s budget. Outside of that bubble you have the right to choose whatever interests you even if it has zero connection to your day job. Who knows where that additional knowledge will lead you... maybe you’ll finaally have the skills it takes to start another thing from this list?

• Updating your CV “just in case”: And maybe even try to apply to some job posts - just to have a picture of how much the market could currently offer in your expertise.If the gap starts from +40% it’s time to think about changing or asking for a counter offer.

The Psychology Behind Career Cushioning

The interesting part is that career cushioning is not just about practical preparation - it’s deeply psychological as well. One of the strongest drivers behind this trend is the human need for control in uncertain environments. When people feel that external circumstances are unpredictable, they instinctively start looking for ways to regain agency over their future.

Perceived job insecurity is another major factor. Even if someone’s position is currently stable, hearing about layoffs in the news, restructuring in other departments, or AI replacing certain tasks can create a subtle but constant sense of vulnerability. Over time this leads to an employability mindset instead of an employment mindset. In the past job security meant staying loyal to one company for many years. Today it means staying adaptable enough to remain valuable anywhere.

AI anxiety and skill obsolescence fears also play a key role. Employees may start wondering whether their current expertise will still be relevant in 3–5 years. Career cushioning becomes a psychological safety strategy — a way to reassure themselves that they won’t be left behind if the market suddenly changes.

Career Cushioning vs. Disengagement

Career cushioning is often misunderstood by leaders as disengagement or even disloyalty. But it’s important to clarify that it is not the same as quiet quitting.

Employees who actively build their professional network, work on side projects, or invest in career development strategies are usually still engaged in their current roles. They continue performing, meeting deadlines, and contributing to team success - they are just strategically preparing for future uncertainty.

From a leadership perspective this can create tension. Managers may interpret increased LinkedIn activity or participation in external mentoring programs as a sign that someone is about to leave. In reality it often reflects a desire for long-term career mobility and security rather than dissatisfaction with the current job.

Understanding this difference is crucial for employee retention strategy because reacting with suspicion instead of support may actually push talented professionals toward external opportunities faster.

What This Means for Leaders and Organizations

For organizations career cushioning can become a hidden turnover risk. Employees may not be actively planning to leave today, but they are quietly increasing their readiness to do so tomorrow. This can reduce long-term loyalty and create silent career mobility where top performers exit unexpectedly when the right opportunity appears.

Internal talent flight is often the result of limited development transparency. When employees feel they need to look outside the company to grow, it’s usually because internal pathways are unclear or unavailable.

Leaders should respond by normalizing career conversations instead of avoiding them. Offering internal mobility pathways, mentorship programs, and clear career growth planning can help redirect this proactive energy inward rather than outward. Building psychological safety around ambition is also essential - employees should feel that wanting growth is not seen as a threat but as an asset.

Encouraging internal “career cushioning” through leadership development initiatives can turn potential turnover risk into organizational resilience.

Coaching as a Strategic Career Cushion

Coaching plays a crucial role in supporting proactive career management both on an individual and organizational level. It helps professionals build identity clarity instead of reacting to change from a place of panic.

Career coaching can guide employees in identifying meaningful growth paths, developing future-proof skills, and aligning their personal values with professional goals. For leaders coaching provides tools to retain ambitious talent by understanding their motivations and supporting their development before disengagement begins.

In this sense coaching is not a crisis intervention but a long-term resilience strategy. It strengthens career adaptability while also contributing to leadership coaching outcomes such as trust building, open communication, and talent retention.

Conclusion + Strategic CTA

People aren’t leaving because they’re unhappy - they’re preparing because they’re uncertain. Career cushioning is not a loyalty problem, but a signal that professionals want more control over their future.

Whether you are an employee trying to future proof your career or a leader aiming to prevent career stagnation within your team, the question remains the same:

Are you building optionality or operating from fear?

Investing in proactive career planning today may be the difference between reacting to change and leading through it.