In 2025, the world economy lost an estimated $438 billion due to reduced productivity resulting from falling employee engagement. In the US, a stagnant job market and growing under- and unemployment rates are creating uncertainty for workers. Those who are able to find employment are increasingly choosing to stay put, even when they are unhappy with their role or treatment by their organizations and managers. Lack of job satisfaction correlates with reduced employee engagement, which has dropped to 21% in employees aged 35+ and 22% in employees under 35.
The Consequences of a Perpetually Negative Headspace
It is undesirable to have unhappy and disengaged workers, but it is completely unsustainable when economic conditions mean those workers also feel trapped. Quiet cracking describes the emotional and psychological toll experienced by workers who lack hope that their position or standing could someday improve. It is one step above burnout, as workers feel overwhelmed, dissatisfied, and insecure, but still have the energy to force themselves to work.
“Acting Your Wage”
In response to such conditions, quiet quitting has become increasingly common. Quiet quitting is typically an individual strategy, but may also be performed as a collective action in response to unfair or exploitative management or job conditions or in protest of insufficient wages or staffing. In such cases, it may also be known as “work to rule.” 50% of US workers reported quiet quitting in 2023. These workers remain in their jobs, but choose to limit their actions in the workplace to nothing more than what they are contractually obligated to do. Quiet quitters arrive on time, leave the moment their shift is over, and do not respond to any communications on their personal devices or outside of working hours. While at work, they complete their minimum assignments and give no additional effort to improve results, innovate, or collaborate.
Because quiet quitters are following rules to the letter, it allows employees to indicate their dissatisfaction with the working environment without the risk of disciplinary action or being fired. This makes quiet quitting a valuable strategy for workers who find themselves in untenable but currently unchangeable job environments. For example, in teams where tasks are unfairly balanced, particularly ones where women and minority workers deal with colleagues who practice weaponized incompetence, actively refusing to take on additional responsibilities can help reduce workplace stress.
Credit: State of the Global Workplace 2025 via Gallup
Even the Most Motivated High Achiever Has a Limit
Quiet quitters and quiet crackers are not lazy or ineffective workers. In reality, they are a reflection of poor management and failure to develop a company culture that inspires employees to put forth their best effort. Harvard Business Review found that managers who were rated highest in their ability to develop positive working relationships had the highest ratio (62%) of employees who were willing to put forth extra effort at work. They also had the lowest ratio of quiet quitters, at 3%. As employee confidence in management dropped, so did the willingness to contribute. 20% of the staff of the lowest-ranked management reported a willingness to go above and beyond, while 14% reported quiet quitting.
For organizations that want to reduce the risk of quiet cracking and quiet quitting, showcasing strong leadership and building positive relationships in the workplace must be the highest priority. These terms are simply new names to refer to the age-old dilemma of balancing employee engagement, productivity, and employee-manager relationships. As the current job market turbulence makes quiet cracking and quiet quitting an ever-growing part of the conversation, employers must be willing to stand by their values and be leaders, not just superiors.
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