Nearly 53% of US workers polled in the fourth quarter expressed high intent to remain with their current employers, Gartner Inc. reported today. Across 40 countries surveyed, the US ranked No. 1 with the highest level of employee intent to remain with their current employers.

Meanwhile, 13.5% of US workers were actively seeking a job in the fourth quarter of last year. That’s down from 14.9% in the third quarter and up from 12.5% in the second quarter.

“As the US labor market remains highly competitive with an unemployment rate under 4%, companies looking for talent to fill open positions are finding that workers are staying with their employers and not actively seeking new positions,” said Brian Kropp, chief of research for the Gartner HR practice.

“That said,” Kropp continued, “the disruption organizations are currently facing due to Covid-19 is likely to affect the labor market, including intent to stay, job seeking and business confidence.”

The survey also found employee business confidence levels had decreased each quarter from the second quarter through the fourth, Gartner reported.

Gartner’s survey, the Gartner Global Labor Market Survey, is sourced from more than 40,000 employees in 40 countries and regions.