Career cushioning“ is a new trendy term that refers to the proverbial „Plan B“ for one’s career. In times when large companies are laying off thousands of employees, many employees are no longer so sure of their own position in the company. Gone, furthermore, are the days when an employee spends his or her entire working life with just one employer. „Career Cushioning“ serves here as a proactive approach to literally cushion the potential case in the event of a layoff.
In addition to the aforementioned approach, the term „career cushioning“ has become a viral trending term on social media as well as in spoken everyday language in recent months and years. Nevertheless, „Career Cushioning“ is far from being understood by everyone. The following article aims to change this and clarify the definition, meaning and types of „Career Cushioning“.
Definition of the term „Career Cushioning“
The term „Career Cushioning“ comes from the English language and is composed of the noun „career“ and the noun „cushioning“. Therefore, „career cushioning“ could be roughly translated as „career padding“.
This refers to the deliberate safeguarding of one’s own career through alternative career paths or occupations that secure one’s income. This does not necessarily have to be an employment relationship, but can also be self-employment, entrepreneurial activity or investment.
„Career cushioning“ has become an extremely popular approach among employees to provide the best possible protection against the vagaries of modern working life.
Origin and interpretation of „Career Cushioning“
The exact origin of the term „career cushioning“ is not known, but the expression probably emerged in 2022 or 2023 on social media platforms, such as YouTube, Instagram or TikTok. Larger companies in particular, such as Amazon or Twitter, experienced major waves of layoffs in early 2023. The tragic individual fates of the laid-off employees encouraged many employees of other companies to secure their individual careers through suitable alternatives.
In the case of „career cushioning,“ however, one’s own career is initially only „cushioned,“ but not yet directly changed. Interesting alternatives are opened up, but these do not necessarily have to be taken up, as long as there is no danger of a potential job loss. „Career cushioning“ can also be pursued by the self-employed or entrepreneurs. Basically, this only refers to a „Plan B for one’s career“.
Use of the term „Career Cushioning“
The term „Career Cushioning“ is used in a wide variety of contexts today. Particularly popular uses include on social media and in spoken everyday language. Unofficially, „Career Cushioning“ is mainly used by employees – by them, the expression is mainly used in conversations with colleagues.
Types of Career Cushioning
„Career cushioning“ can be implemented in a variety of ways. Among the most widely used are the following:
- Reorientation to other jobs
- Establishing part-time self-employment
- Entrepreneurship
In the further course of this article, the various forms of „Career Cushioning“ will be discussed in detail.
Application to other jobs
The most widespread form of „career cushioning“ is when employees apply for other jobs in addition to their actual job. This involves sending out countless applications for interesting jobs, some of which are then not accepted. It can also be a case of accepting a side job that primarily secures one’s own income or makes it easier to build up financial reserves that give more room for maneuver if the main job is no longer available.
Part-time self-employment
Career cushioning“ also often involves employees setting up a part-time self-employed business. This usually serves to provide financial security, but can also be used as a stepping stone to full-time self-employment. With self-employment, one is not dependent on a single employer, but can spread the individual risk over many clients.
Entrepreneurship
Last but not least, when „career cushioning,“ many employees craft their own business on the side. This can be done in a sustainable manner so that one’s own company can eventually replace one’s own job, or that job can be terminated. In this way, too, a „double bottom“ can be created with regard to one’s own career.
Social classification of „Career Cushioning“
In social terms, „career cushioning“ can be assigned to almost all age and population groups. The only important thing is that the people involved must be gainfully employed. This includes employees, the self-employed, as well as entrepreneurs or investors, who at the same time keep a wide range of options open with regard to their individual career planning. „Career cushioning“ is also used by users of various social media platforms and has gone viral, not least because of this. However, the term is often only understood by younger people, or by people who deal with behavioral research on the labor market. The term „career cushioning“ is generally less often understood by older target groups as well as retirees or pensioners.
Critical view of „Career Cushioning“
„Career cushioning“ is viewed in a decidedly negative light, especially by employers. After all, it is indirectly a matter of disloyalty to one’s own employer, who at the same time is looking for alternative job offers or sources of income. In the worst case, this can result in the employee in question changing jobs and no longer being available to the company. In addition, this can also mean that the employee in question is not devoting his or her entire working capacity to the current job, but has inwardly already quit and is no longer giving the job his or her full attention. The constant „maintaining of alternative options“ is considered a phenomenon of today’s society, which also extends to other areas of life (for example, partner search). Overall, „Career Cushioning“ is therefore a negative trend for the employer, but rather a positive, liberating trend for the employee.
Conclusion on „Career Cushioning“ and other terminology
The bottom line is that „career cushioning“ is a new trend in the labor market, where employees consciously keep several options open with regard to their own career. These may include alternative job opportunities, part-time self-employment, or entrepreneurship. „Career cushioning“ thus serves to secure an individual’s income or career options.
The terms „Silent Resignation“ and „Bore-out“ are very similar to the term „Career Cushioning“. Silent resignation“ refers to an internal resignation in which the employee no longer has any desire for the existing employment relationship, but does not terminate it. Bore-out, on the other hand, is exhaustion due to boredom in the existing job. All three terms come from the field of workplace research.