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Quiet Cracking: Another New Buzzword for Worker Discontent – Mary T. O’Sullivan
By Mary T. O’Sullivan, MSOL, contributing writer
“Employees today are not necessarily quitting their jobs, but they are quitting their enthusiasm, their health, and sometimes, their hope” –Harvard Business Review
In recent years, the workplace has been inundated with terms that reflect employees’ growing discomfort with outdated, exploitative, or toxic environments—”quiet quitting,” “quiet firing, the “great resignation”, and now, increasingly, “quiet cracking.” According to Talent LMS , quiet cracking is another result of the pandemic hangover. Unlike quiet quitting, where employees disengage from their jobs without formally leaving, quiet cracking refers to something deeper and more damaging: it’s the gradual emotional and psychological breakdown of employees who continue to work, perform, and show up—while internally falling apart.
Quiet cracking is a silent unraveling. It occurs when workers are overwhelmed, unsupported, or constantly exposed to stress, micro biases, or unreasonable expectations. From the outside, they may appear fine. They make their deadlines. They show up to meetings. They don’t complain—at least not directly. But inside, they’re deteriorating. Mental health suffers. Motivation erodes. They may even be close to burnout.
Think of nurses who are inundated with administrative tasks, taking them away from the patient care they are trained to perform. Of course, they’re going to feel underutilized and unappreciated, and that sense of futility creeps in around the edges of their professionalism. However, they still continue to stay on top of their nursing duties, despite the overwhelming workload. They make sure their patients don’t suffer. They just work harder and come home more exhausted. It’s known as “compassion fatigue” and is common among health care workers.
Dedicated teachers, emergency workers, and other professionals who work closely with people can also experience the quiet crack. In those professions, it’s hard to maintain reasonable boundaries. Many professionals like these continuously overachieve, working weekends and late nights to produce the highest quality work. After a period of time, a sense of discontent sets in, but it may not be defined or obvious. They finally realize that the workplace expectations are negatively impacting their sense of well-being and mental health. If there were ever an argument for work life balance, quiet cracking is it.
A 2025 report from Gallup indicated that “52% of employees in North America were “not engaged” in their jobs, and 17% were “actively disengaged.” What’s driving the quiet cracking trend? Many employees surveyed stated that they felt a lack of financial security in the job, and they feared Artificial Intelligence (AI) could easily replace them. Another typical worry reported was the fear of layoffs as well as an uncertain future. After being a dedicated worker for years there exists the fear of being passed over for promotion opportunities or even being laid off in a merger or acquisition.
Lack of connection to the organization contributes to the quiet cracking phenomenon. Forty-seven percent of respondents stated that managers do not listen to their concerns. Lack of proper training, short staffing, larger workload all concern workers who slip into quiet cracking. With more manager engagement and even taking over shifts employees feel more valued and less likely to suffer mentally.
The 24/7 news cycle doesn’t help any. After a weekend of watching distressing news, people come into work on Monday morning worn down, rather than refreshed and ready to go, according to The Hill.
Employees need to know they matter, regardless of the level of attention given. Managerial concern for employees’ well-being and mental and physical health encourages their sense of purpose, adds to their forward momentum, and makes their work seem more meaningful – something we all seek in work and life.
“Quiet Cracking isn’t just a well-being issue—it’s a business issue. When employees quietly crack, they take productivity, creativity, and loyalty with them.” TalentLMS
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Connect with Mary:
www.encoreexecutivecoaching.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marytosullivan
Read all Mary’s columns here: https://2×8.ea2.myftpupload.com/mary-t-osullivan-msol-pcc-shrm-scp/
Mary T. O’Sullivan, Master of Science, Organizational Leadership, International Coaching Federation Professional Certified Coach, Society of Human Resource Management, “Senior Certified Professional. Graduate Certificate in Executive and Professional Career Coaching, University of Texas at Dallas.
Member, Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Honor Society.
Advanced Studies in Education from Montclair University, SUNY Oswego and Syracuse University.
Mary is also a certified Six Sigma Specialist, Contract Specialist, IPT Leader and holds a Certificate in Essentials of Human Resource Management from SHRM.
EQi2.0-EQ360 Practitioner
Appreciative Inquiry Practitioner
Six Sigma Specialist, Certified IPT Leader, Certified Contracts Manager
Helping good leaders get even better through positive behavior change.
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