‘Quiet cracking’ is spreading in offices: Half of workers are at breaking point, and it’s costing companies $438 billion in productivity loss

Unfortunately, managers are slow to catch on

How employers can fight ‘quiet cracking’ before it’s too late 

How workers can combat their own disengagement

Emma Burleigh is a

Orianna Rosa Royle is the Success associate editor at Fortune, overseeing careers, leadership, and company culture coverage. She was previously the senior

Workers are down in the dumps about a lack of career growth opportunities and emptying offices as companies slash

Scared of speaking out and putting their neck on the line in a dire job climate,

The latest workplace phenomenon sees

“The telltale signs of quiet cracking are very similar to burnout. You may notice yourself lacking motivation and enthusiasm for your work, and you may be feeling useless, or even angry and irritable,” Martin Poduška, editor in chief and career

Unlike “quiet quitting,” this decline in productivity from workers isn’t intentional. Instead, it’s caused

A fleet of unhappy workers may sound easy to spot, but the problem is sneaking up on workplaces without much course correction.

Last year, the proportion of engaged employees globally dropped from 23% to 21%—a similar dip in enthusiasm seen during the COVID-19 lockdown—costing the world economy about $438 billion in lost productivity, according to a 2025 report from Gallup. 

Quiet cracking isn’t only creating a bad culture for employees to work in, but the trend is also hitting businesses hard. It’s imperative that bosses seize the moment to develop an engagement strategy before the problem festers into a ticking time bomb. And employees can also make adjustments to better advocate for their own career happiness. 

“It isn’t obvious when quiet cracking happens,” Poduška explains. “You may be starting to quietly crack right now, but you wouldn’t know as this type of burnout takes some time for others, and even you, to notice.”

The current state of the workplace may sound bleak, but not all hope is lost. A career expert tells Fortune there are ways to spot fissures in company culture before employees are fully down in the dumps, and managers need to stand on guard. 

“If you’ve noticed an employee becoming more and more disengaged with their work, it may be best to schedule a time where you can discuss how they feel,” Poduška says. “Setting them new tasks, providing new learning opportunities, and simply having an honest conversation could steer things back in the right direction.”

A good boss can make or break company culture. Among employees who experience quiet cracking, 47% say their managers do not listen to their concerns, according to the TalentLMS study. But

“When employee training is prioritized, it signals care, investment, and belief in people’s potential,” the TalentLMS report notes. “It fuels motivation, builds capability, and creates a culture where people want to contribute—and stay. Training isn’t just about skill-building; it’s an antidote to disengagement. A catalyst for connection.”

Managers aren’t the only ones with power in fighting workplace disengagement; employees also have the power to combat their own unhappiness. 

“How can quiet cracking be avoided? For

However, not every company is going to be invested in developing their workers, even if they voice the need for it. In that case, Poduška advises that

“Another way to stop quiet cracking is to change things up. You could ask yourself if the role you’re currently in is right for you,” Poduška says. “A total career pivot may be the answer to quiet cracking in some cases, or for others, a switch into another department might be the best solution. Some, however, may just need something new and fresh to work on.”