Quiet Cracking: Burnout with a Catchier Name
Have you heard the phrase quiet cracking? It’s the newest buzzword making its way around workplaces and social media. If quiet quitting defined how many people coped during the pandemic, quiet cracking captures what’s happening now. It’s an experience many working professionals face every day.
Quiet cracking is that slow, steady unraveling that happens when work feels more draining than energizing. It’s the feeling of showing up every day, doing the tasks, but feeling a little emptier inside each week. You might still care, but the spark is gone. And you aren’t sure how to get it back. According to a 2025 report from TalentLMS, more than half of employees, about 54%, say they feel unhappy at work.
Even though the phrase “quiet cracking” was coined in 2025, the experience is nothing new. It’s another way of describing what we’ve long called burnout. At Happier Humans, we’ve been studying burnout for years. Our work focuses on how to prevent it, recognize it early, and build resilience so people can thrive again.
The truth is, burnout has been a public health concern for a while now. In October 2022, the U.S. Surgeon General released the first-ever Framework for Workplace Mental Health and Well-Being, underscoring just how widespread the problem is. Around that time, surveys showed:
31% of people felt emotionally exhausted
26% said they weren’t motivated to do their best
25% preferred to keep to themselves
23% wanted to quit
20% noticed lower productivity
19% felt more irritable or angry
18% felt ineffective or “not good enough”
Do any of those symptoms sound familiar?
If you recognize yourself or your coworkers in those numbers, you’re not alone. Burnout and quiet cracking can happen slowly, often to people who care deeply about their work. The good news is that these patterns can be changed. With awareness, support, and evidence-based strategies, you can rebuild balance, motivation, and joy in your work.
At Happier Humans, we offer workshops and talks that help individuals and teams understand burnout, recognize early warning signs, and build resilience. We teach practical, research-based ways to restore calm, connection, and well-being, both inside and outside of work.
If your workplace could use more energy, balance, and genuine happiness, reach out. We’d love to help you and your team beat burnout and start thriving again.
Your guides to staying sane,
