'Quiet cracking': The hidden workplace trend breaking employees from within

What is quiet quitting?

U.S. employers are hiring at a furious pace as they face ongoing labor shortages. And now, we're hearing of people doing something called quiet quitting.

NEW YORK - You’ve probably heard of "quiet quitting," the workplace trend where employees stop going above and beyond at work. 

But now, there’s a new and troubling shift that experts are calling "quiet cracking."

Unlike quiet quitting, where workers disengage by choice, quiet cracking describes the breaking point: employees who feel so overwhelmed, unsupported, and stuck in their jobs that they begin to emotionally and physically unravel.

FILE - Stressed business people at work.  (Liaison/Getty Images)

Signs of quiet cracking

What to know::

Workplace strategist Jessica Weiss, author of the forthcoming book "Happiness Works": The Science of Thriving at Work, says the warning signs can be easy to miss:

• Crying on the commute
• Stress eating or losing sleep
• Flashbacks to difficult workplace situations
• Feeling trapped with no way out

"Quiet cracking is like a hairline fracture in your workforce—unseen but spreading, until the whole plate shatters," Weiss explains.

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'Quiet quitting' is nothing new

We are hearing of people doing something called quiet quitting. However, it does not mean people are actually leaving their jobs. So what is quiet quitting?

The term is also catching fire on social media. In a TikTok post with nearly a million views, creator @jessramosdata described quiet cracking this way:

"It’s when you’re still showing up to work, still hitting deadlines… but on the inside? You’re silently falling apart and dying on the inside. It’s the slow erosion of your motivation, creativity, and mental health, all while you keep doing the work."

The comments struck a nerve. 

One user wrote, "This is just the old norm. I’ve been quiet cracking for like 15 years." Another added, "It’s impossible to get a new job so you have to suffer with what you have."

A separate video from workplace coach @managermethod explained how the phrase is resonating with burned-out professionals, sparking conversations about what companies must do differently to support employees before they hit a breaking point.

She says employers should avoid relying only on surveys to find out if workers are struggling, and instead sit down, have real conversations, and connect with employees who may be feeling this way.