HONOLULU (KHON2) — In Hawaiʻi and across United States workplaces, there’s something quietly going wrong. It is not burnout. It is not quiet quitting. It’s deeper. A new report found that more than half of employees said they are unhappy at work to some degree. One in five said it happens frequently or all the time, according to the report.
Researchers call it ‘Quiet Cracking’.
Quiet Cracking is not easy to see. These are people who are still showing up. They’re still doing their jobs, but they are cracking inside.
Let’s take a look at what the report has identified.
What is Quiet Cracking?
Quiet Cracking is a slow breakdown of how people feel at work. It’s not always obvious in how they perform., and it doesn’t always come with exhaustion. But over time, it wears down confidence, connection and commitment.
A new survey found that 54% of employees across industries experience some level of Quiet Cracking. That includes 20% who feel this way often or always. Only 47% say they rarely or never feel it.
Employees named many reasons such as a lack of career growth, fear of falling behind, new technology like AI, the economy and the pressure to keep up in a job that no longer feels secure or meaningful.
The numbers behind the trend
Most employees feel secure in their current jobs with the survey finding 82% say so. But only 62% feel secure about their future with the company with nearly one in six indicating they do not see a long-term future at all.
The top concerns for the workforce are:
- Economic uncertainty.
- Heavy workload and unclear expectations.
- Poor leadership and company direction.
Training does make a difference in how connected employees feel to their jobs. Employees with no training in the past year are 140% more likely to feel insecure.
Where managers make or break it
The survey found that manager support matters. Overall, they found that 62% of employees said their managers listen to their concerns. But amongst those who report Quiet Cracking, there were 47% who said managers do not listen.
Recognition also matters. Of those not experiencing Quiet Cracking, the survey found that 80% said they feel valued. Amongst those who are frequently or constantly unhappy at work, only 26% said they feel valued, revealing a 68% drop.
How companies can respond
Training, support and recognition are key.
- Employees who get training are more likely to feel secure and valued.
- Quiet Cracking employees are 29% less likely to have received training and 152% more likely to feel unrecognized.
Workload and expectations also play a role. Almost one in three employees said their workload is unmanageable, and 15% do not clearly understand what is expected of them.
The cost of doing nothing
The new report found that Quiet Cracking drains employee engagement and team culture. These employees are less likely to take initiative, join team events or share ideas which lead to them slowing down momentum and trust. Many are actively job hunting even if no one knows it yet.
To stop Quiet Cracking, the report suggested four things:
- Invest in regular employee training.
- Train managers in empathy and listening.
- Recognize employees regularly and meaningfully.
- Balance workloads and clarify expectations.
Quiet Cracking is silent but costly. It affects how people work, feel and stay. So, it’s important to address the issues; and that begins listening, according to the report.
You can click here to read more about the survey and its results.
This survey was conducted online in March 2025 with 1,000 U.S. employees across industries.