A manager I coach recently told me about Maria, one of his best people. He said she used to keep her whole team laughing. She volunteered for tough assignments, stayed late when deadlines were tight, and had ideas that just made things better. Then something shifted. Maria still showed up to work, but the spark was gone. She stopped speaking up in meetings, quietly turned down stretch assignments, and began logging off at 5 p.m. sharp.
It sounded like Maria wasn’t “quiet quitting,” but she might be quietly cracking.
Quiet cracking is a relatively new term for what happens when people are still physically present and doing their jobs, but inside, they’re wearing down. And it’s becoming more common. Folks who hit this wall don’t make a deliberate decision to disengage; it’s more like an emotional slow leak. Their cynicism might grow; motivation thin. The energy that once fueled creativity and collaboration starts to ebb.
Employees who are quiet cracking may feel stuck and emotionally disengaged, undervalued, unsure of their future, and under steady but not catastrophic stress. They still attend meetings and reply to emails, but their discretionary effort (the extra spark that fuels great teams) is fading.
And a smart leader can feel it in the room.
A recent TalentLMS survey of 1,000 U.S. employees found:
• 54 percent report feeling some level of quiet-cracking symptoms, and one in five say they feel them frequently or constantly.
• 29 percent say their workloads are unmanageable.
• 20 percent say their manager doesn’t listen to their concerns.
• 42 percent have received no employer-provided training in the past year, and those without training are 140 percent more likely to feel insecure in their jobs.
These numbers suggest this phenomenon is spreading. Left unaddressed, it can become contagious across a team.
What Managers Can Do
The good news is that leaders can spot quiet cracking before it gets worse and do something about it:
1. Bring Clarity to the Fog.
A lot of quiet cracking starts with uncertainty: Where is our team headed? What is expected of me? Am I adding value? Do I have a future here? When leaders answer those questions clearly, when they explain how their people add value and what growth could look like, they restore a sense of control and purpose in uncertain times. Even if promotions are scarce, leaders can still talk about career paths in fresh ways. Growth isn’t always about climbing a ladder straight up. Sometimes it’s more like navigating a climbing wall: you may have to move sideways, try new holds, and stretch in different directions before you ascend. Those lateral moves build strength and capability … and they can help keep people engaged while they wait for the next rung to appear.
2. Listen Like It Matters (Because It Does).
People don’t disengage the first time they feel unheard. But over time, not being listened to is one of the fastest ways to make someone quietly crack. Smart leaders schedule real one-on-ones (not just status updates) and ask questions like: “Is there anything getting in the way of you being able to do your best work?” And then they stop talking. The goal isn’t to fix everything in the moment but to make people feel safe saying what they need to say.
3. Feed Growth, Even in Lean Times.
Lack of learning is a huge predictor of disengagement. Growth doesn’t just mean sending people to conferences or trainings. Leaders can also offer team micro-learning sessions, peer coaching, job rotations, or even a challenging new project that stretches someone’s skills. These small investments send a big message: We believe in your future.
4. Protect People from Drowning.
Unmanageable workloads are another massive trigger for quiet cracking. Good leaders are ruthless about prioritizing what really matters. They cancel non-essential meetings for their people, hit pause on low-value projects, and remember that energy is finite and worth protecting (and that they expect team members to have a life outside of work).
5. Catch People Doing Something Right.
Recognition doesn’t have to be a big production; in fact, the best kind usually isn’t. Call out small wins. Great managers help employees understand the impact of their work, and they create moments where people feel seen. That spark of gratitude is often what keeps someone from tipping from “a little tired” into “I don’t care anymore.
Don’t be fooled by the quirky name of quiet cracking, it’s a serious warning sign. The workplace is changing, and expectations are shifting. Managers who ignore their people’s mental health risk burning them out.
Managers who address this issue early, who listen more, clarify more, and support more, will find themselves leading teams that are more resilient and more engaged, even in difficult times.