In the ever-accelerating race toward workplace efficiency and purpose, a new kind of crisis is taking root—one so quiet that most managers don’t even know it’s happening until it’s too late. It doesn’t look like burnout in the traditional sense. Employees don’t storm out, hand in resignations, or lash out in frustration. They simply fade. This emerging phenomenon now has a name: quiet cracking.
Coined and detailed in a recent VICE report, quiet cracking is a slow, silent deterioration of motivation and engagement at work. It’s burnout without the explosion—like hairline fractures that deepen invisibly until the entire structure gives way. And while it may feel invisible, its cost is all too real: $438 billion in lost productivity in 2024 alone, according to Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report.
A Costly Crumble of Spirit
Gallup’s 2024 data paints a sobering picture—global employee engagement fell to just 21%, its lowest in years. This staggering disengagement doesn’t just reduce performance metrics or dent company morale; it manifests as lost creativity, stalled innovation, absenteeism, and ultimately, widespread economic loss.
But quiet cracking is more insidious than traditional burnout. It’s not triggered by a singular overwhelming event. Instead, it seeps in through monotony, poor management, undervaluation, and the absence of growth. The signs are subtle: an increase in silence during meetings, a delay in email responses, a detachment from goals. The employee is still showing up—but they’ve long stopped leaning in.
“Quiet cracking is sneaky; it creeps up on workers slowly but steadily, and before they know it, they’re totally checked out of their role,” — Peter Duris, CEO and co-founder, Kickresume, in an interview with VICE.
Duris describes quiet cracking as “end-stage burnout”—a level of mental and emotional exhaustion where even small tasks feel insurmountable, and improvement seems impossible.
While the term may be relatively new, the underlying dynamics are familiar: poor leadership, lack of purpose, and missing pathways for advancement. In a high-speed, high-stakes work culture, quiet cracking becomes the default response to emotional exhaustion that goes unnoticed and untreated.
Employees begin by doubting their impact. Over time, that uncertainty calcifies into disengagement. They stop asking for promotions, avoid new challenges, and ultimately operate in survival mode. They aren’t plotting their exits—they’re too tired to imagine one.
The Managers’ Dilemma—and Responsibility
The burden of addressing quiet cracking doesn’t lie solely with employees. If anything, it reveals a crisis of leadership.
Managers and HR leaders must become fluent in emotional nuance—recognising not only when KPIs are missed, but when employees withdraw emotionally or intellectually. When an employee stops volunteering ideas, misses learning opportunities, or suddenly disengages from peer relationships, it may signal the onset of quiet cracking.
“Quiet cracking may be caused by managers not providing enough support and recognition, leading employees to feel undervalued,” — Peter Duris, Kickresume.
Duris advises companies to build feedback-driven cultures and invest in leadership training that equips managers to notice the signs early and respond with empathy.
Equally critical is career path visibility. When employees understand what growth looks like—and believe it’s achievable—they are less likely to fall into disengagement. But when work becomes transactional and disconnected from any future vision, cracks are inevitable.
Speaking Up Before You Fade Out
For employees, escaping quiet cracking starts with awareness. Naming the problem is the first act of resistance. Instead of assuming a slump is personal weakness, workers are encouraged to ask: Is this environment nourishing me—or draining me?
Employees should feel empowered to initiate conversations with their managers. This isn’t always easy—especially in cultures where mental health remains a taboo—but it’s essential. Whether it’s asking for mentorship, a role shift, or simply acknowledging fatigue, transparency can open doors to recovery.
Meanwhile, companies must do their part to create psychological safety. When workers trust that they won’t be penalised for expressing difficulty, they are more likely to speak up—and stay.
The good news? Quiet cracking is not irreversible.
With the right culture, meaningful recognition, opportunities for learning, and empathetic leadership, the cracks can be closed. And in some cases, new strength can form in their place—like kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold.
Companies that get ahead of this trend by investing in emotional intelligence, employee experience, and purposeful leadership will not only avoid billion-dollar losses—they’ll build the kind of workplaces people want to stay in.
As economic pressures mount and corporate ambitions climb higher, quiet cracking serves as a reminder: productivity is not the same as purpose. And without the latter, the former will eventually fall apart.
So the next time a high-performing employee suddenly fades into the background, resist the urge to attribute it to personal issues or changing trends. Look deeper. The cracks may have been forming for months—and what you do next could make all the difference.