'Quiet cracking' is the newest term for a workplace problem — and it’s 'pretty pervasive,' expert says

(NEXSTAR) – Every day, you wake up, go to your job, and complete your assigned tasks to the best of your ability. But have you been “quiet cracking” this whole time?

It’s entirely possible.

What is 'quiet cracking'?

“Quiet cracking” is the latest buzzword to describe a lack of fulfillment at work — often as it pertains to job satisfaction, workloads or the potential for growth, among other factors. And unlike “quiet quitting,” it might not necessarily manifest in an employee’s performance — just their happiness.

“I mostly see it in my students who are graduating college, and starting their careers with a lot of energy and enthusiasm,” said Wayne Hochwarter, a senior professor at Florida State University’s College of Business. “Then, three or five years in … they begin to ask, ‘Am I really enjoying this? Do I think this is the path to get me where I want to get?’”

'Pervasive at all levels'

It’s not just younger members of the workforce who feel disengaged, either. A recent survey from TalentLMS, a company that offers training resources for businesses, found that over half of the respondents experienced “quiet cracking” at their jobs, with about 20% saying they experience it “constantly.”

A 2025 report from Gallup included nearly identical findings, indicating that 52% of employees in North America were “not engaged” in their jobs, and 17% were “actively disengaged.” The same report indicated that disruptions caused by the pandemic — rather than the expectations of any one age group — were a major factor.

“It’s not just an entry- to mid-level phenomenon; I don’t think that’s the case at all,” Hochwarter told Nexstar. “I think it’s pretty pervasive at all levels.”

What's driving disengagement?

Many of the TalentLMS survey participants said they were disengaged, in part, because they had no feeling of job security, whether it was due to concerns over layoffs, a lack of growth opportunities or being replaced by artificial intelligence.

“Employees may feel secure in their roles today, but ask them about tomorrow, and confidence drops sharply,” TalentLMS said of the survey participants.

“I think a big reason for this phenomenon is employees don’t feel they have any control,” Hochwarter said. “Couple that with management — which is typically inept at dealing with these issues — and you’ve pretty much got this perfect storm of disengagement.”

Hochwarter, also a distinguished research professor at United Arab Emirates University, said he often sees issues of disengagement crop up in the healthcare industry. Many nurses he’s spoken with, he said, feel they aren’t doing as much nursing as before, but instead spending a significant amount of time on bureaucratic tasks or learning new record-keeping software. He imagines there are similar issues for educators, and especially teachers who are being instructed to “teach toward tests,” and “have certain topics they can and can’t talk about.”

These professions, along with customer-facing jobs, can really stir up a sense of “compassion fatigue,” as experts call it.

“You’re just tired of dealing with peoples’ crap, basically,” Hochwarter said. “When your job involves dealing with other people, and you are not able to step away from that, even for 10 minutes, you are more prone to feel just worn out, or worn down.”

Hochwarter also suspects the current workforce is more "anxious" than in previous decades, perhaps due to looming concerns over AI, or the constant bombardment of chaotic and often depressing news stories.

“So when people get to work on Monday, they used to be ready to go. … Now when they get to work, they’re already worn out.”

Is there a fix?

As for what can be done about the phenomenon, Gallup’s report suggested better training and coaching techniques for managers. But even Gallup acknowledged that managers were among the most disengaged employes at their own companies.

Employees, meanwhile, might need to take a more proactive approach to change their situation. This could mean finding time to recharge physically or emotionally, or perhaps taking steps to move to an adjacent department, or even finding a new job, Hochwarter said.

“You have to take care of your physical and mental health and look for opportunities to restore your resources and get excited about something. And sometimes that means changing your environment.”