Quiet Cracking: The New Workplace Threat After Quiet Quitting
Why Employee Disengagement Is Costing Businesses Trillions
In recent years, many managers have faced the phenomenon known as “quiet quitting”, where employees choose to do only the bare minimum at work. Now, a new trend is emerging in workplaces—“quiet cracking”—and according to experts, it may be just as dangerous.
The term quiet cracking was introduced by analysts at the cloud learning platform TalentLMS to describe a “persistent feeling of dissatisfaction in the workplace that leads to disengagement, poor performance, and a heightened desire to resign.”
Although quiet quitting and quiet cracking are distinct reactions to burnout and workplace stress, specialists warn that the latter can sometimes lead directly to the former.
“Unlike burnout, it does not always manifest as exhaustion. Unlike quiet quitting, it does not immediately show up in performance metrics. But it is equally dangerous,” notes the TalentLMS report.
The data is concerning: 54% of employees surveyed reported experiencing some level of quiet cracking, according to TalentLMS.
Frank Giampietro, Head of Employee Well-being at EY Americas, told CNBC that quiet quitting and quiet cracking are “two sides of the same coin.”
“Both are responses to burnout, and both can create significant problems for businesses if not addressed,” he explained.
In a weaker job market, many workers hesitate to quit roles that leave them unfulfilled or lead to burnout. Instead, they remain—feeling disconnected, stuck, and less loyal to their employer.
Jim Harter of Gallup explains: “Quiet cracking describes employees who feel less connected, less satisfied with their employer, and more likely to seek another job. They feel detached, but they also feel stuck—and that’s not good for employers.”
The consequences go far beyond morale. According to Gallup, the cost of lost productivity from disengaged employees reaches $2 trillion annually for U.S. businesses alone.
Without effective strategies to combat burnout, disengagement, and dissatisfaction, organizations risk long-term declines in performance, innovation, and employee retention.
