A new and concerning workplace trend is emerging – recently highlighted in Business Insider and the Financial Express — labeled “quiet cracking.”
While it’s often compared to quiet quitting, the two are very different. Quiet quitting is easier to address — you can identify where people aren’t contributing, manage out poor performers, and in doing so, boost engagement among your high performers.
Quiet cracking, however, is more insidious. It doesn’t present itself as low performance. Employees may appear productive, but they’re under growing pressure and stress that, if left unmanaged, can lead to burnout, disengagement, and a negative long-term personal and business impact.
Why quiet cracking is harder to spot
Unlike quiet quitting, quiet cracking often goes unnoticed because output doesn’t immediately drop. Instead, employees push through, often to their own detriment.
In the Financial Express article, “Forget quiet quitting: Why quiet cracking could be worse for your workplace” (2025), managers are encouraged to identify it through behavioral cues, then have open coaching conversations to ensure employees feel heard. This is a great starting point – but what comes next?
When markets are tight, budgets frozen, and workloads can’t be eased by new hires. Even standard wellness tips like exercise or meditation feel like just another task.
What can leaders and managers do about quiet cracking?
Consider these five tactics.
1. Paint the picture of the vision ahead
Picture being in a long, dark tunnel with work piling up. No escape. No hope. As a manager, help your employee identify the light at the end of the tunnel. Clarify the vision and clearly describe what they’re working toward and why it matters so they can push through with purpose.
2. Prioritize the Work (and Cut 20%)
Yes, easier said than done, but essential. Sit down with your employee and list everything they’re working on. Then, remove at least 20% of the list based on direct alignment with vision, goals, and business impact.
For what remains, define:
- Leading indicators — signs you’re on track in the short term.
- Lagging indicators — measures of long-term success.
Hint: If you can’t identify these metrics, change the task or take it off the list. This creates clarity, focus, and a sense of achievement.
3. Recognize Progress, Not Just End Results
Once leaders set priorities and metrics, celebrate the steps forward, not just the outcome. Make recognition a regular habit – ideally weekly.
Use simple, genuine check-ins such as:
- “How is that coming along?”
- “Goodness, that’s tough – I can see the effort you’re putting in.”
- “You’ve got what it takes – how can I support you?”
- “You’re making great progress; congratulations on completing that major step.”
These small moments of acknowledgment — showing empathy, encouragement, and appreciation — help boost productivity, especially during challenging periods.
4. Keep growing, even without promotions
Career growth doesn’t have to stall when budgets are tight or promotions are limited.
Work with employees to identify one or two skills to develop, then create a three-month plan using free or low-cost resources (e.g., LinkedIn Learning) and provide opportunities to apply them on the job. Let them practice, give them feedback.
The key is alignment — both manager and employee must agree on the growth areas.
Connecting this development to future promotion readiness builds commitment and ensures they’re prepared when opportunities arise.
5. Build connection (and maybe a new friend)
Either suggest or ask your employee which part of the organization they’d like to learn more about. Then, introduce them to a colleague in another department to share insights about their work, challenges, and priorities.
This gives employees a broader view of how the business operates beyond their own function, expands knowledge, strengthens networks, and often sparks friendships.
In fact, a KPMG survey found that 86% of employees with close work friends report higher job satisfaction, and 84% believe companies should help foster these connections. Yep — this is part of your job as a manager. They may not discover a best friend, but even one additional connection in the firm creates stronger bonds and a greater sense of belonging.
Leaders and managers can reverse quiet cracking. In a world saturated with endless scrolling and unrealistic life comparisons, work can – and should – be a place of accomplishment and reward. But there’s no time to delay addressing the larger forces at play from economic volatility, financial restructuring, company direction, and other macro-level challenges.
The key is to focus on what’s within your control and make a daily difference for those who may be cracking right in front of you.
Gina Larson is an ICF-certified executive coach and Founder & CEO of StandUp HR. Organizations hire Larson to strengthen HR and people practices that align with business goals and deliver measurable results. As an executive coach, she partners with leaders to build self-awareness, elevate performance, and develop high-performing teams that drive sustained success. Connect with her at GinaLarson@StandUpHR.com or on LinkedIn.
Photo credit: Studio Romantic
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