Workers are facing a “hidden crisis” of prolonged unhappiness in their jobs, with more than half reporting disengagement and uncertainty about their future, according to new research.
The report, released by online education provider TalentLMS, describes the phenomenon as “quiet cracking” — a persistent state of dissatisfaction that leads to reduced performance, low morale, and a greater desire to quit.
Based on a survey of 1,000 US employees across industries, the study found one in five workers are trapped in constant unhappiness at work, while a further third experience it occasionally.
Manos Dramitinos, chief technology officer of TalentLMS’s parent company Epignosis, said quiet cracking does not always show in exhaustion or performance metrics, but it remains dangerous.
“Quiet cracking is a silent drain on tech teams,” Dramitinos told Information Age.
“Delivery metrics can look fine on the surface, but underneath, people are disengaging — fewer ideas in stand-ups, less initiative, and reduced enthusiasm for new projects.”
Robert Half director Tom Ward said this form of workplace unease is difficult to detect.
“While overt signs of unhappiness may be visible, quiet disengagement is often harder to detect, manifesting as burnout, reduced motivation or a decline in output quality,” Ward told Information Age.
“In today’s workplace, where many teams are operating leaner and roles are shifting, factors like stagnant pay and increased pressure may be amplifying this sentiment.
"Though not always easy to identify, workplace unhappiness is a real and ongoing challenge across industries.”
A new workplace phenomenon
Following the pandemic, a significant shift in the approach to work and its place in our lives occurred, leading to many new phenomena, such as “quiet quitting” and the “great resignation”.
But while these large-scale and prominent events have occurred, quiet cracking has been happening below the surface, the report speculated.
“In the aftermath of the pandemic, a new form of disengagement is taking root in the workforce – less visible than mass resignations, yet no less damaging,” the TalentLMS report said.
“While headlines fixate on burnout and turnover, something quiet - and deeper - is unravelling behind office doors and computer screens: employees are silently cracking under persistent pressures.”
Workplace unhappiness can have a major impact in the long-term, Ward said.
“Unhappiness in the workplace can have a profound impact on both individuals and organisations,” he said.
“When employees feel disengaged or dissatisfied, it often leads to reduced productivity, lower morale and increased absenteeism.
“Over time, this can erode team cohesion and contribute to higher turnover rates, which disrupts continuity and drives up recruitment costs.”
And tech companies may be particularly at risk of experiencing quiet cracking, he said.
“Rapid change, constant innovation, and high-performance expectations can create intense pressure, especially in roles tied to emerging technologies like AI and automation in technology teams,” Ford said.
“Some tech professionals face long hours, unclear boundaries between work and personal life, and frequent shifts in responsibilities, all of which can lead to unhappiness in the workplace.
“Combatting workplace unhappiness starts with fostering a culture of empathy, inclusion and purpose.”
A lack of certainty
While feeling unhappy, many workers are feeling “paralysed” and remaining in their current roles due to a tight job market and an uncertain economy, the research found.
The survey found that workers are feeling secure in their current roles, but not confident in their futures at their employer.
While more than 80 per cent said they were secure in their job, just 62 per cent were secure and confident in their future with the same company.
“The disconnect we found in this data between overall job security and how employees feel about their future with their company indicates something that should alarm leaders – that people are not worried about losing their jobs, but they don’t really feel like the employer-employee relationship is going to last,” the report said.
According to the research, there is a “direct correlation between ineffective management and persistent unhappiness”.
Just over 60 per cent of respondents said their manager was listening to their concerns, but of those experiencing quiet cracking, nearly half said their manager did not listen to their concerns.
A key way to avoid quiet cracking in the workforce is to focus on learning and development, train managers better and set strong expectations.
“The bottom line for tech leaders is to ship value and grow people in the same motion,” Dramitinos said.
“Quiet cracking isn’t loud, but its costs to creativity and culture are real.
“The way forward is creating a workplace where people grow, are heard, and have the freedom to innovate.”
