It's useful to read articles in English, even if you don't understand every word - it will help you increase your vocabulary and keep up to date with things happening in English-speaking countries!

This page will be updated on Mondays. The first article is aimed at a B1 and upwards level and the second article is aimed at a B2 and upwards level

By Chhavi Agarwal | Wealth of Geeks undefined

As rampant layoffs across industries concern many American workers, a recent ResumeTemplates.com survey reveals another potentially significant workforce shift. More than half (56%) of survey respondents admit they're already searching for a new job or plan to start hunting in the coming year.

Perhaps even more striking, 1 in 3 job seekers expressed willingness to quit their current positions, even without another job lined up.

These findings highlight a growing trend of career reassessment as workers look for new opportunities amid a challenging and changing job market.

Study Findings

In addition to the 56% of U.S. workers planning to look for a new job in 2025, 21% are considering switching industries entirely. Though career change interest spans fields, those working in retail, government, hospitality, and manufacturing are the most likely to make such a change. Many of these workers are eyeing sectors like health care, finance, tech, and hospitality, where job growth and stability are often more promising.

Additionally, 16% of workers express they are “very likely” to quit their jobs if conditions don't improve, while 19% are “somewhat likely” to leave.

These findings suggest a wave of dissatisfaction with current jobs, particularly in industries hit hard by the pandemic or ongoing economic instability. The significant interest in shifting to sectors like health care and tech indicates workers prioritize secure, flexible, and growth-oriented career paths.

For employers, this signals the need for better retention strategies, including improved benefits, career development opportunities, and workplace flexibility, to combat the looming threat of high employee turnover.

Reasons Driving This Change

The reasons driving workers to consider leaving their current jobs highlight a variety of frustrations. Low pay is the most significant factor, cited by 40% of respondents. Around 37% feel undervalued in their roles and an equal percentage report burnout.

Additionally, 33% are concerned about limited career growth opportunities, while 28% point to poor management as a major reason for wanting to move on. Other factors include dissatisfaction with benefits (19%) and a lack of job flexibility (18%).

There are also personal reasons for seeking new employment. Some job seekers (22%) want a change of pace, while 17% are just not enjoying their current job, and another 17% hope to work remotely. Return-to-office policies are less of a concern, with only 4% of workers identifying it as a reason for leaving.

These findings reflect broader worker dissatisfaction. Employees increasingly cite pay, recognition, and career growth as the primary issues driving their desire to seek new opportunities.

For employers, this highlights the urgent need to address these concerns, especially around fair compensation, career advancement, and workplace flexibility. With workers increasingly seeking roles that offer more than just a paycheck — meaningful work, better management, and remote options — companies need to adapt to retain talent and reduce turnover.

What Employees Want

Work-life balance tops the priority list for job seekers, with nearly all (99%) of respondents naming it a must-have in their next role. Job security is a close second (98%), followed by a genuine interest in the work (97%).

A higher salary is also a major factor, with 95% of respondents emphasizing its importance, along with better benefits and a strong company culture.

Job seekers also value flexible work hours and opportunities for career advancement. Additionally, remote work remains an important consideration for 67% of workers, highlighting its continued relevance in today's job market.

What Can Employers Learn?

For employers, this shift is a call to action.

With low pay, burnout, and limited career growth cited as major reasons for dissatisfaction, companies must improve compensation, offer clearer paths for advancement, and foster a supportive work environment. Additionally, the rising importance of work-life balance, job security, flexibility, and remote work means companies must prepare to offer roles that align with these values.

Ultimately, businesses that create positive work environments and provide competitive benefits will better attract and retain top talent. Companies must adapt to employees' evolving expectations by embracing flexibility, offering opportunities, and showing they value employees.

By addressing the root causes of dissatisfaction, employers can reduce turnover and contribute to long-term employee satisfaction and organizational success. The future of work is shifting, and companies that recognize and respond to these changes will set themselves up for success in a competitive job market.

This article was produced by Media Decision and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.

By MARK KENNEDY and LINLEY SANDERS Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — If you're planning on ringing in the new year quietly at home, you're not alone.

A majority of U.S adults intend to celebrate New Year's Eve at home, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

“As I've gotten older over the last few years, it's like if I don't make it to midnight, it's not a big deal, you know?” says Carla Woods, 70, from Vinton, Iowa.

Nearly 2 in 10 will be celebrating at a friend or family member's home, and just 5% plan to go out to celebrate at a bar, restaurant or organized event, the poll found.

But many U.S. adults will celebrate the new year in a different way — by making a resolution. More than half say they'll make at least one resolution for 2025.

There's some optimism about the year ahead, although more than half aren't expecting a positive change. About 4 in 10 say 2025 will be a better year for them personally. About one-third don't expect much of a difference between 2024 and 2025, and about one-quarter think 2025 will be a worse year than 2024.

Relaxed New Year's Eve plans for many

Kourtney Kershaw, a 32-year-old bartender in Chicago, often fields questions from customers and friends about upcoming events for New Year's Eve. She said this year is trending toward low-key.

“A majority of who I've spoken to in my age range, they want to go out, but they don't know what they're going to do because they haven't found anything or things are just really expensive,” she said. “Party packages or an entry fee are like a turnoff, especially with the climate of the world and how much things cost.”

As expected, younger people are more interested in ringing in the new year at a bar or organized event — about 1 in 10 U.S. adults under 30 say they plan to do that. But about 3 in 10 older adults — 60 and above — say they won't celebrate the beginning of 2025 at all.

Anthony Tremblay, 35, from Pittsburgh, doesn't usually go out to toast the arrival of the new year, but this year he's got something special cooked up: He and his wife will be traveling through Ireland.

“I don't do anything too crazy for New Year's, usually. So this is definitely a change,” he said. “I wanted to do something unique this year, so I did.”

Woods will be working New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. She answers calls on The Iowa Warmline, a confidential, noncrisis listening line for people struggling with mental health or substance use issues.

“Holidays are really hard for people, so I don't mind working,” she said. “I'm passionate about it because I have mental health issues in the family and so being able to help people is rewarding to me.”

Younger Americans are more likely to make a resolution

Every New Year's also triggers the eternal debate about resolutions. A majority of U.S. adults say they intend to make a New Year's resolution of some type, but millennials and Gen Z are especially likely to be on board — about two-thirds expect to do so, compared to about half of older adults. Women are also more likely than men to say they will set a goal for 2025.

Tremblay hopes to lose some weight and focus more on self-care — more sleep, meditation and breathing exercises. “It's probably a good year to focus on mental health,” he said.

Many others agree. About 3 in 10 adults choose resolutions involving exercise or eating healthier. About one-quarter said they'll make a resolution involving losing weight and a similar number said they'll resolve to make changes about priorities of money or mental health.

Woods' resolutions are to stay social and active. As a mental health counselor, she knows those are key to a happy 2025 and beyond: “Probably one of my biggest resolutions is trying to make sure I stay social, try to get out at least once a week — get out and either have coffee or do something with a friend. That's not only for the physical but also for the mental health part.”

Kershaw, the bartender, says weight loss and better health are the top resolutions she hears people make. “Mental health is the new one, but I think it's high up there as well as with regular health,” she said.

She prefers more goal-oriented resolutions and, this time, it's to do more traveling and see more of the world: “I don't know if that's really a resolution, but that's a goal that I'm setting.”

And how will she welcome the arrival of 2025? Usually, she takes the night off and stays home watching movies with plenty of snacks, but this year Kershaw has a different plan, maybe one of the most Chicago things you can do.

This die-hard sports fan will be at Wrigley Field on Tuesday watching the Chicago Blackhawks take on the St. Louis Blues. “Hockey's my favorite sport. So I will be watching hockey and bringing in the new year,” she said.

The AP-NORC poll of 1,251 adults was conducted Dec. 5-9, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC's probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall is plus or minus 3.7 percentage points.

Sanders reported from Washington.

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