EXPLAINER: What is 'quiet cracking' and how can it be fixed?
Sofia (not her real name) goes to work with a smile and keeps doing what's expected of her even if deep inside, she's quietly falling apart—feeling stuck, stressed, and unseen.
"I feel so tired and unmotivated to do things," the data analyst told PhilSTAR L!fe. "I just force myself to do them because I have no choice."
Still, there are times when she's not able to meet her deadlines. "I would overthink first about how I'll do my tasks before I actually get to them," she added.
Even though she's having a hard time, she still refuses to ask for help. "I don't want to be a burden to others since I feel they're also struggling and they are a bit busy," she said. "I'm also used to being independent and solving problems by myself."
According to experts, Sofia's experiences could be summed up by a new trend called "quiet cracking," which was coined by e-learning platform TalentLMS when they conducted a study on workplace unhappiness.
The term is defined as a "new form of disengagement" where people remain in their jobs but experience some kind of workplace funk.
Here's what you need to know about quiet cracking—from what it feels like and why it happens, to what can be done to combat it.
Quiet cracking, explained
According to Jonane Quiambao, a human resources business partner and content creator behind HR Rant with Nae on TikTok, quiet cracking is an issue that often gets overlooked.
She compared it to a similar workplace phenomenon called "quiet quitting," where employees are doing just the bare minimum at work.
"Unlike quiet quitting, these employees still show up, they still do their job well, but deep inside they’re struggling," Quiambao said.
The HR expert is no stranger to quiet cracking as there have been times when she kept showing up to work while struggling deep down.
"On the outside, no one would notice because the job was still getting done but inside, I felt disconnected. I think a lot of employees go through this at some point, especially when they feel like they have no safe space to open up about what they’re going through," she shared.
Fellow HR specialist David John Reyes similarly experienced quiet cracking in the five years he has been with his company. It got him so close to handing in his resignation then.
"This is a major issue in a workplace, be it only one or 10 employees who are experiencing it. It could affect an employee's productivity, efficiency, basically their whole perfomance—even intra and interpersonal interactions," he told L!fe.
According to Reyes, quiet cracking has many causes, such as repetitive work, too much workload, pressure, expectations, along with other underlying personal and work-related reasons. He noted, however, that it may be different from one person to another.
Recalling the time he experienced it, Reyes said he remembers "feeling unproductive even if you had already done your part."
"You feel unsatisfied with what you did and unmotivated most of the time. This might be seen when you take time to do a task, it's hard for you to understand instructions, absorbing the day becomes heavy, and service-level agreements and key performance indicators are not met," he added.
HR manager Jeremiah Yalung Rafanan meanwhile said that toxic work environments, lack of recognition, unclear career paths, and personal struggles that aren’t being supported by the workplace also play a part in quiet cracking.
While noticeable signs include a drop in engagement, reduced participation in meetings, chronic fatigue, minimal communication, and missed deadlines, the issue can also manifest in more subtle ways, "like a normally cheerful employee becoming withdrawn, or someone who used to be proactive now just 'doing the bare minimum,'" per Rafanan.
What can be done
Quiet cracking can have lasting consequences for individuals and organizations if left ignored.
Quiambao warned that it could be a major problem as it means that employees are "carrying invisible burdens while pretending everything’s okay."
"If this isn’t addressed, it can turn into something serious like burnout, mental health concerns, or even a sudden resignation that takes everyone by surprise," she said.
HR experts suggested fostering a culture of openness, empathy, and psychological safety with employees.
For Quiambao, the key is "not to wait until someone breaks."
"In HR, I always push for regular check-ins that go beyond just numbers or KPIs. Simple questions like, 'How are you holding up?' or 'What’s been heavy for you lately?' can open doors," she said.
"Access to counseling or mental health support also helps, but more importantly, employees need to feel safe to open up without being judged," she continued. "Flexibility also plays a big role. Sometimes, giving someone space to breathe is better than pushing them harder."
Rafanan emphasized that "employees should feel they can speak up without fear of judgment or retaliation" via safe feedback channels.
"We also encourage wellness programs, mental health days, and manager training to spot early signs. The goal is to build a culture where asking 'Are you okay?' isn’t just a formality," he said.
But the responsibility to combat quiet cracking doesn't fall on the management's shoulders alone—employees must also take proactive steps to care for their mental well-being.
"For employees, I’d say don’t wait until it gets unbearable. Speak up early, even if it’s just to a colleague, a friend, or HR. Set boundaries so you don’t silently drown in workload," Quiambao advised.
Reyes likewise suggested not isolating yourself, noting it's also what helped him snap out of his funk. "I found ways to get out of the 'phase' because of the people around me and most especially, my manager."
Another thing you can do, he said, is to reconnect with the reason why you're working in the first place—be it the skills you’re building, the people you’re helping, or the stability it gives you.
At the end of the day, it's all about having work-life balance.
"While you spend your hours working, you have to make sure that you also spend your spare time, your weekend, and your holiday in a meaningful and engaging way. How? Find or rediscover a hobby, exercise, explore places, eat good food, spend time with yourself and your family—the list goes on and on. Just know yourself and what you want," said Reyes.
