Ever felt like you were in a situationship with your workplace? You’re not alone. Around 59% of employees don’t see a clear, long-term path with their current employer, and 63% don’t think their employers are planning on holding on to them long-term either. A new survey by Zetsy found that both employers and employees are now letting mixed signals dominate their relationship in the workplace, neither fully committed to the other, but both unwilling or unsure of what happens next.
Zety’s latest Workplace Situationships Report recently surveyed 1,000 US workers, hoping to understand where the employer-employee relationship stands today. What it found was a tense pseudo-situationship in the workplace, where both sides had something to offer to the other, but neither was content with what was on offer. Nearly six in ten employees did not see a stable, long-term relationship with their organization.
Of these, 32% were content with this causal relationship, satisfied but certain that it wouldn’t last for long. Around 15% admitted they were on the way out, actively on the hunt for another job. The other 12% conceded that things were complicated, but despite their dissatisfaction, they were going to stay for now. The relationship analogy may help dilute some of the tension around this situation to a degree, but this workplace dynamic is neither sustainable nor healthy.
Employees define their relationship with their employers as something akin to a workplace situationship. Communication and clarity could be the solution. (Image: Pexels)
Are You in a Situationship With Your Employees? It’s Time to Set Clear Terms for Workplace Relationships
Employee retention, a concept that once seemed poised to take on a more central role among employer priorities, no longer figures into the majority of discussions around employees today. Employees don’t feel committed to their jobs, unsure of whether they can build a career with their organization. This apparent absence of workplace “loyalty” goes both ways. Employee uncertainty over their commitment to their employer is paired with a feeling that employers aren’t committed to them long-term. At least 63% of respondents feel this way.
The breakdown of this number may be insightful. Zety found that 31% of employees believe their employer may be somewhat interested in keeping them around, but that they also see workers as replaceable. About 16% feel more interchangeable than valued, and 16% do not believe their employers are invested in their retention at all.
As the data shows, employees no longer believe their employers are planning to train, retain, and support them long-term; their sights instead set on hiring talent proficient in the AI arts. While employers continue to explore the possibility of AI outpacing human capabilities, employee uncertainty is on the rise.
As With Any Situationship, Employees Appear Frustrated Over the Lack of Effort and Communication
Employees are understandably frustrated by their workplace situationship, unable to leave but obligated to stay. Reasons such as limited growth opportunities, lack of fulfillment, poor managerial relationships, blurred work-life boundaries, and unclear role expectations were cited as reasons for their unhappiness at work. With layoffs and changing performance evaluation metrics dominating workplace dynamics, most employees find it easier to keep their heads down and focus on their work instead of making their concerns heard.
Many employers may not be actively contemplating layoffs just yet, but failing to check in with teams or address their concerns regularly can be enough to make employees feel uneasy. In the past, the lack of investment might have been enough for employees to job hop and switch employers at the drop of a hat, but in 2026, most employees see greater security in clinging to their roles, unsure of what awaits them in the job market.
Other surveys have shown that retention currently hinges solely on aspects like job security or benefit retention, which isn’t quite the same as a desire to work with the employer for years to come. With job hoppers no longer an immediate concern, employers now have a great opportunity to collaborate with talent and look at turning passive retention into an active desire to stay and grow with the company.
It’s Time to Set Matters Straight Within the Workplace
The workplace situationship report may only voice the opinions of a small section of workers, but they are representative of the unrest that has been growing across the workforce. The data shows that regardless of whether employees intend to stay at their jobs or whether a mass exodus waits on the horizon, employee uncertainty is on the rise. Rather than allowing these frustrations to fester into something more complicated, it may be best to address the problems at hand.
Communicating organizational strategies and intentions is the best place to start. Clarity and two-way communication go a long way in building a bond centered on trust and mutual respect. Addressing immediate workplace concerns, whether on role clarity, work-life balance, management decisions, or long-term career prospects, is essential within any organization.
Benefits planning can also help address unstable workplace relationships, and so can thoughtful gestures of appreciation. Such acts show employees that the organization has a genuine interest in their overall well-being, adding legitimacy to the promise of a more evolved relationship between employer and employee.
Stuck in a workplace situationship like the respondents of the survey? Share your experiences with us in the comments. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.
