Is your workplace encased in silence, with the slow clacking of keys the only noise? Consider that it could be the sound of “quiet cracking” echoing through your workplace. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, then consider this your starter guide to a new hidden workplace crisis that’s making the rounds right now.
Coined by researchers at TalentLMS, the term “quiet cracking” refers to the persistent sense of workplace dissatisfaction and disinterest that employees are currently experiencing. The new employee disengagement term comes with baggage—workers are seeing their morale and productivity drop while feeling unheard and unseen at work.
A new employee disengagement survey found that over 54% of survey respondents have experienced some degree of quiet cracking, which is unsurprising. If you want to tackle this problem of unhappiness and disengagement at work better, we’ve got you covered.
Quite cracking is a new employee disengagement term that suggests employees are distressed at work and unable to showcase it. (Image: Freepik)
What Is Quiet Cracking? Understanding the Latest Workplace Unhappiness Trends
Quitting loudly and raising a storm when they do is one way an employee can make an exit, but it’s the “quiet” trends that are more nefarious. These silent trends invade the workplace without leaving obvious signs at first, but over time, the problems continue to build up. Eventually, the disinterest and dissociation disrupt not only the individual’s work but also all those around them.
These quiet trends have a way of building up in expected ways, but they don’t always end with the employee leaving and moving on to better opportunities; instead, the negative situation continues to interfere with the performance of the organization for a long time to come.
Unlike burnout or quiet quitting, quiet cracking doesn’t manifest in obvious ways, making it even more dangerous for business leaders to ignore.
Due to the discrete nature of workplace unhappiness trends such as this one, there are only a few early signs of employee disengagement. HR teams that are not alert are then likely to miss them, allowing “quite cracking” trends to fester within their employees and workforce.
What Is Quiet Cracking?
The term “Quiet Cracking” was coined by employee training platform TalentLMS, and they refer to it as “a persistent feeling of workplace unhappiness that leads to disengagement, poor performance, and an increased desire to quit.” Essentially, employees are cracking as a result of the unhappiness and dissatisfaction with their work, but with no solution in sight, they continue to keep their heads down and stay in their roles.
Employees are not necessarily overly stressed out on the verge of burnout, but their happiness at work drops to an all-time low, making them feel entirely reluctant to take on any work or contribute to the organization in a big way. Without any active training or support from the workplace, employees continue to feel undervalued.
Doing the bare minimum may not be enough in this era of layoffs and job cuts, but it seems to be all that some employees can bring themselves to do, considering the work conditions set for them by their employers.
What Does the Employee Disengagement Survey Have to Say?
The new report found that over half of the surveyed employees had experienced some level of quiet cracking, with one in five reporting that they experienced it frequently or constantly. Around 20% experience workplace unhappiness frequently or constantly, while 34% experience it occasionally.
The new employee disengagement term has not been long enough for employees to be able to use it to define what they are experiencing, so we believe the actual number of employees currently “quite cracking” could soon grow. The hidden workplace crisis is only starting to take form, but we don’t see employers taking the problem seriously for now.
Pair this with the rising trends of job insecurity and fear for the future of their careers, and you might start to see the state that employees are operating under right now. While 82% feel secure in their current jobs, around one in six respondents are insecure about their work when it is tied to the company’s future. Employees without training, those most vulnerable to the changing times, are 140% more likely to be insecure about their jobs.
Workplace Dissatisfaction: Causes and Considerations
The workplace unhappiness trends do not come out of the blue. The term may be new, but the problem is an old one, marking a culmination of many of the problems and limitations of the workplace right now.
Causes Behind Quiet Cracking in the Workplace
There is considerable economic uncertainty right now, and this is compounded by heavy workloads that rarely come with clear expectations. We’ve spoken about the importance of strong leaders during such trying times, but the employee disengagement research confirms that poor leadership and company directions are a large part of the reasons for “quite cracking.”
Many organizations are also limited by poor communication systems, particularly with managers who are not fully engaged in the work either. Without managers to listen to their concerns, even those employees who might consider talking about this “quite cracking” cannot do so, further prolonging the suffering.
Around 42% of employees haven’t received any workplace training from their employers in the last 12 months. The employees experiencing “quite cracking” are 29% less likely to receive training than those who do not experience it, which means that they continue to go unsupported while watching their colleagues make progress in their careers. There are many different causes for workplace dissatisfaction but they ultimately lead to the same results.
How to Address Quiet Cracking and Other Workplace Unhappiness Trends?
If you don’t want your employees quietly cracking under the pressure of participating in your workforce, there are a few things you can do to identify the employee disengagement signs and address them quickly. This hidden workplace crisis may be troublesome, but it is not insurmountable.
- Conduct anonymized surveys with your employees to understand their concerns and satisfaction levels at work
- Create a culture of communication and regularly listen to the employee experience
- Prioritize employee-centered initiatives and disseminate them across the workforce
- Create opportunities for employees to actively engage with their teams and their responsibilities
- Audit your organization’s employee-centric initiatives to assess their frequency, efficacy, eligibility, and other aspects that could be improved
- Train managers to be proactive leaders who are able to understand and support the employees they work with
- Assess the work conditions and workloads your employees deal with and adjust where necessary
- Appreciate employees for their contributions and acknowledge progress of all kinds
- Teach employees how to handle stress and manage their time so they are not as overwhelmed
- Reach out to employees regularly and communicate one-on-one to help them create a connection with the organization
- Encourage learning at work and design opportunities for employees to improve themselves both in and outside work
Address Quiet Cracking at Work—Better Late than Never
If your immediate reaction to the employee disengagement research is to identify and eliminate these employees, your organization might be at a disadvantage. You’ll find that this will only scare other employees into trends like “quiet cracking” and encourage them to disguise the signs of employee disengagement better.
Understand your workforce as a very active and essential part of the organization, and work on improving the quality of their experience to improve the quality of the results they put out as well. Employees are willing to work and get the job done, but a supportive environment can ensure that you see the best results.
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