Nearly Half Of U.S. Workers Are ‘Career Cushioning’, Poll Finds

Surveyed Employees Have Stayed Put For Two Years, But Many Have A ‘Plan B’ In Mind

Nearly half of the full-time American workers in a new online poll are already sketching out what they would do if their current job stopped meeting their expectations. Known as “career cushioning,” the habit was reported by 48% of the 2,000 respondents.

Preparation is underway for many of them. Among those cushioning, 77% have started getting ready for a backup career, just in case something happens in their current one. That preparation does not necessarily mean an imminent job change: 91% said they had stayed in their current job for the past two years.

Beyond backup plans, the poll looked at how work itself has shifted, from extra duties landing on workers’ desks to AI tools becoming part of the daily routine. Talker Research fielded the online poll, which was commissioned by online learning platform TripleTen, from Sept. 4 to Sept. 11, 2026, among full-time American workers.

Career Cushioning Is Common Among Surveyed Workers

Respondents were also asked what would push them to actually pursue a backup career, and the answers split evenly across three options. Each drew 29%: getting to do something they enjoy, gaining a better lifestyle or less stress at the same pay, and losing their current job. Losing a job, in other words, was no stronger a trigger than the promise of a calmer, more enjoyable workday.

That last finding matters for anyone who assumes a backup plan is purely a reaction to bad news. For roughly three in ten respondents, the pull toward a second career came from wanting something better, with pay held constant.

Time, Age, and Entry-Level Fears Keep Some Workers From a Plan B

Slightly more than half of respondents, 52%, have never considered a backup career. Among that group, the most common holdback was time, named by 27%. Worries about being too old to start over came from 26%, while 20% feared having to begin at an entry-level position again.

Each barrier was named by about a quarter of that group or fewer, so no single obstacle dominated. Respondents’ ages were not provided, which leaves open whether the “too old” concern falls mostly on older workers or is spread across the whole sample.

Job Duties Shifted Even for Workers Who Stayed Put

Staying in one place did not mean standing still. Of those who kept their jobs, 46% said their responsibilities and duties changed a great deal over two years. Learning new technologies was the most common change (36%), followed by economic shifts (24%), picking up extra work for peers (20%) and layoffs (18%).

Feelings about job stability leaned positive. Optimism came in first at 27%, ahead of calm (20%), excitement (19%) and hope (18%). Meanwhile, 54% believed there was low or no risk of losing their current job or needing to find a new one within the next two years.

At the group level, confidence about job stability coexisted with widespread interest in backup options. Whether the same respondents held both views was not disclosed.

“Today’s workforce is changing quickly, and the ability to adapt has become an increasingly valuable career asset,” explained Victor Menin, Ed.D., Vice President of Enrollment at TripleTen. Menin added that building skills beyond a current job’s immediate requirements can open a path forward if circumstances change, even for workers with no plans to switch careers.

Career Cushioning Meets AI Skills on the Job

Skill-building was widespread. Among respondents, 79% said they had learned things for their current job that they previously didn’t know. Using AI chatbots for everyday work tasks led the list at 34%, closely followed by using AI features built into work software (33%) and keeping up with new technology and business lingo (30%).

Those who picked up new skills reported benefits, all self-reported. Of them, 44% said the skills gave them more confidence, 36% felt a better sense of job security, and 30% ended up teaching peers the same skills. Most of the learners (87%) expected what they learned to still be relevant two years from now.

Respondents drew on a mix of sources. Employer-provided training was the most common route at 47%, ahead of online courses (32%), free tutorials (30%), an AI chatbot acting as a tutor (27%) and a colleague’s guidance (21%).

Ana Riabova, AI Strategy and Enablement Lead at TripleTen, described what she’s noticed among workers who adapt fastest. “Instead of quiet quitting, I’m seeing quiet delegating: routine tasks go to AI, and workers keep the parts that need their judgment.”

Managers made up 48% of the sample, and their answers pointed toward internal investment. Among them, 82% would rather train current employees for a job than hire someone new. Another 87% believed their organization would play a role in paying for an employee to retrain in a new role within the organization, with 52% willing to fully fund it.

Many respondents have remained in their current jobs while still keeping a plan B in view. Still, nearly half are cushioning, and the skills they are picking up on the job, especially AI-related tools, could help them prepare for one.

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