BURSTYou remember “quiet quitting” and “quiet firing”, right? Both have been dominant workplace trends over the last five years.
Quiet quitting refers to employees who do the bare minimum required by their job descriptions, avoiding extra hours, volunteering, or going beyond their assigned tasks.
It gained widespread attention during the pandemic as workers reassessed their relationship with work, seeking better balance and boundaries.
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Quiet firing, on the other hand, is the employer’s counterpart. This is a subtle push to encourage employees to leave by withholding support, excluding them from projects, making their work environment unpleasant, or enforcing strict RTO mandates.
Well, we are now in the quiet cracking era. This term describes a state where employees feel stuck, undervalued, and uncertain about their future in an organization, though they still continue to perform their duties.
Those who are quiet cracking aren’t consciously reducing effort à la quiet quitters, but are disengaged internally.
It’s quite common too. According to recent research by TalentLMS, over half of American workers (54%) experience some form of quiet cracking, with 20% reporting it as a frequent or constant feeling.
Quiet cracking often goes unnoticed by busy managers. Employees may still show up and complete their work, but enthusiasm, creativity, and a willingness to contribute beyond the minimum is absent.
Causes of quiet cracking
It’s different for everyone of course, but some of the top factors driving job insecurity are economic uncertainty, heavy workloads, and unclear job expectations.
Though 82% of employees feel secure in their current roles, only 62% are confident about their long-term future with their employer.
Some 42% of employees say they haven’t received any employer-provided training in the past 12 months.
And close to 1 in 6 employees (18%) are unsure if they have a long-term future where they are now.
Employees experiencing quiet cracking are also 152% more likely to feel unappreciated or undervalued for their contributions.
Poor leadership and company direction is the third most-commonly cited concern of employees about their jobs.
And those who have not received training in the past year are 140% more likely to feel insecure about their roles.
Pathways for progression are not clear. And as the report succinctly puts it: “In short: no growth, no recognition, no reason to stay.”
Additionally, company restructuring and layoffs is a concern for 25% of respondents, as is inadequate compensation and benefits.
Managerial disconnect is also a factor; some 20% feel their manager does not listen to their concerns. But for employees who say they are experiencing quiet cracking, this rises to 47%.
Combatting quiet cracking
If you’re an employee experiencing quiet cracking, talk to your manager about potential changes that could be introduced in the team, such as changes to workloads, and ask about role or project expectations so they are crystal clear.
Provide suggestions for improving morale, such as regular spotlights on good work, and the encouragement of peer-to-peer shoutouts. These can have a significant impact in a short space of time, and you don’t even need permission to begin the latter.
Also, ask about training and development opportunities. Flag that you don’t see a clear pathway for progression within the company, and be proactive about what you’d like to upskill in, and how it will benefit the organization.
Lastly, ask if your HR or people team have plans for any anonymous surveys on employee engagement. You can be honest about your own situation, or simply observe that you’re seeing a lack of energy in the organization, and are keen to see it addressed before it becomes a bigger issue. If none of that works, and you are still quiet cracking, it could be time to look for something new.
And there’s no better place than The Hill’s Job Board, which is updated with new roles daily. Good luck.
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