Ever felt like you're holding it together at work but slowly falling apart inside? In today's shifting workplace culture, a quiet yet alarming trend is emerging — one that's more sensitive than burnout and less visible than quiet quitting. It's called “quiet cracking,” and it creeps in slowly, leaving employees emotionally exhausted while they continue to meet deadlines and show up every day.
Coined by learning platform TalentLMS, "quiet cracking" is the latest workplace issue leaders need to pay attention to and fast.
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What is Quiet Cracking?
Imagine a space between burnout and quiet quitting; that’s where quiet cracking lives. It doesn't involve a dramatic exit from responsibilities, nor does it present as emotional exhaustion that lands someone in total collapse. Instead, it's the quiet decline of motivation and satisfaction, often affecting employees who actually "like" their job, just not the environment around it.
According to a recent TalentLMS report, quiet cracking describes a "persistent feeling of workplace unhappiness that leads to disengagement, poor performance, and an increased desire to quit." It’s what happens when employees feel stuck, overlooked by managers, blocked from promotions, and emotionally cut off from meaningful growth. They’re not slacking off on purpose; they’re simply worn down by invisible barriers and feeling undervalued.
It's more common than you think
TalentLMS surveyed 1,000 U.S. employees to better understand this quiet but dangerous trend. And the numbers revealed that 54% of respondents said they’ve experienced aspects of quiet cracking. Meanwhile, 20% revealed they face it "frequently" or "constantly."
That means more than half of the workforce are potentially operating in survival mode, still showing up, still doing their jobs, but with significantly less engagement and enthusiasm. And here's the kicker: since this discontent builds slowly and often goes unspoken, managers may not even realise it’s happening.
Unlike burnout, which can cause obvious emotional or physical exhaustion, or quiet quitting, which shows up in performance dips, quiet cracking often flies under the radar, making it even more dangerous for team productivity and morale.
Why does it happen?
Quiet cracking doesn’t stem from laziness or lack of ambition. In fact, it often affects high performers or enthusiastic workers who feel trapped in a system that’s no longer serving them. They enjoy the work but feel:
Unappreciated by their managers
Cut off from career growth
Overlooked during promotions
Stuck in repetitive roles without meaningful challenge
Over time, this quiet frustration builds until they begin emotionally checking out, even though they continue physically showing up.
The TalentLMS study explains it well. "Unlike burnout, it doesn’t always manifest in exhaustion. Unlike quiet quitting, it doesn’t show up in performance metrics immediately. But it is just as dangerous."
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How can employers help?
The good news is that quiet cracking isn't irreversible. TalentLMS’ findings also shed light on what employees need to feel reconnected and valued.
Here are a few action points:
Open Communication: Encourage honest feedback without fear of retaliation. Create space for employees to express frustration before it turns into disengagement.
Career Development: Offer training, mentorship, and clear growth paths. Employees feel hopeful when they see a future at the company.
Recognition and Appreciation: Acknowledge achievements, big or small. Feeling seen and celebrated goes a long way.
Mental Health Support: Make well-being resources accessible and normalised. Employees who feel supported are less likely to detach.
Autonomy And Trust: Give teams flexibility and trust to make decisions. Micromanagement often accelerates quiet cracking.
