New Report Says Majority of U.S. Workers Are More Likely to Accept a New Job in 2026

New Report Says Majority of U.S. Workers Are More Likely to Accept a New Job in 2026
FlexJobs’ State of the Workplace Report Explores “Job-Ready Era,” As Majority More Willing to Change Careers

According to FlexJobs’®  2026 State of the Workplace Report, the majority of U.S. workers are considering a career change, and many are prepared to act on it. In the survey, 79% of respondents said they are “more likely” to accept a new job offer today than they were a year ago, with over half (57%) specifying that they are “much more likely.”

The report surveyed over 4,000 U.S. respondents between February 2-16, 2026, to better understand how career planning, workforce optimism, and job searching are evolving in what FlexJobs’ career experts call the “Job-Ready Era,” a labor market defined by growing openness to change and new opportunities.

Over Half of Workers Changed or Considered Changing Career Fields

According to FlexJobs’ report, 66% of workers have changed or considered changing career fields in the past year, a steady trend from 2025. Among the respondents:

43% are actively trying to change career fields this year.
34% are not interested in changing careers. 
23% already attempted or made a career change in the past year. 
15% tried to make a career change in the past year, but it hasn't worked out. 
8% successfully changed careers in the past year.  

Some of the top drivers behind career changes include:

24% – Remote work options
21% – Higher pay
20% – Better work-life balance
11% – More meaningful or fulfilling work

“We really began seeing this shift around the end of last year, and it has continued to accelerate into 2026,” said Toni Frana, Career Expert Manager at FlexJobs. “Workers are clearly reprioritizing job adaptability over long-term loyalty and staying open to new career opportunities, even if that means trying out a new industry.”  

2 in 5 Workers Recently Quit or Are Ready To Quit

In addition to changing career fields, FlexJobs’ report suggests a workforce that is increasingly open to job changes. Forty-one percent of respondents said they recently quit in the past six months (21%) or are currently considering quitting their job (20%), up from 33% in past surveys. Notably, among those who reported quitting, the majority did so without another role lined up.

When evaluating a new job opportunity today, remote work (35%) outranked salary and benefits (33%) as the most important deciding factor:

35% – Remote or flexible work
33% – Salary and benefits
17% – Work-life balance
5% – Company culture and values
5% – Job security
4% – Career growth opportunities
<1% – Building AI-resilient skills

Workers Still Split on Career Outlook, Optimism

Career outlook remains divided among the workforce, with one-third (33%) of respondents saying their optimism about future job prospects has stayed the same year over year.

35% reported being less optimistic.
32% said they are more optimistic.

Despite the split sentiment however, openness to new job offers remained high, suggesting that even cautious workers are prepared to make a move if the right opportunity arises. When asked how open they are to accepting a new job offer today, whether or not they are actively job searching:

57% said they are much more likely to take a new job. 
22% said they are somewhat more likely.
17% reported being about the same. 
Just 4% said they are less likely to accept a new job. 

“My best advice for workers feeling the pressure in today’s market is to be strategic, not reactive,” Frana said. “Always weigh your job options carefully, take time to assess bigger professional goals, and make sure that any move you make, be it job-hugging or job-hopping, fits into the career path you can see yourself on in the long run.”

For more information, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/flexjobs-workplace-study or contact Shanna Briggs (shanna.briggs@bold.com).