You might have heard of quiet quitting, taskmasking, and “conscious unbossing” ― all trends which see workers opt out of added responsibilities, busy work, and unrewarding jobs in the subtlest way they can.
But according to Guy Thornton, Founder of human resource company PracticeAptitudeTests, “quiet cracking” is on the rise, too.
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The term refers to the sometimes unwitting disconnect from work that happens when employees are stressed and burned out.
“Quiet cracking isn’t laziness or a flaw in your work ethic,” Thornton said.
“It’s often a sign that your mind and body are trying to cope with something unsustainable.”
Here are some signs you might be “quiet cracking” without even realising it:
1) You’re constantly busy, but don’t get much done
Always rushing around, but never feel particularly productive? Thornton warns that it could be a red flag.
“This relates to another workplace trend known as fauxductivity, which is when you appear productive while feeling unmotivated and disconnected,” he said.
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“It’s often an early sign of quiet cracking that can happen when you’re overwhelmed or unsure what your priorities are any more.”
2) You constantly ignore work messages and emails
If your inbox is bursting and your Slack notifications have built up, you may be “quiet cracking” under the pressure of constant communication.
“This doesn’t necessarily mean you’re lazy or disengaged. Your brain might simply be overloaded,” Thornton advised.
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3) Handing in work at the last minute
Always scrambling to hand in that report at the last minute? It might just feel like your working style, but Thornton says it could also “be a sign you’ve mentally checked out.
“Ask yourself, are you struggling with motivation, or is the workload too much?” he continued.
“Quiet cracking often begins when expectations feel unclear or unmanageable.”
4) You’ve stopped collaborating with your coworkers
If the thought of working with others has felt more and more unenjoyable ― maybe leading you to skip meetings, avoid team get-togethers, and crave working alone ― it can show you’re disconnecting from your workplace.
“Disengagement can be subtle, and you might not even realise it until someone points it out,” Thornton wrote.
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5) You’re constantly putting off work by doing small, “busy work” tasks
A great example is researching endlessly before you actually start your main task, the expert said.
“If it’s become your go-to method for delaying the real work, it might be a sign of stress or fear of failure,” he shared.
What if I think I’m “quiet cracking”?
Recognising the condition can make it easier to manage, Thornton stated.
Don’t wait to seek help if you think something’s amiss.
“It’s important to talk to people you trust in the workplace and use mental health resources if you start to experience something like this,” he said.
“Even just acknowledging that something is off is an important way to start taking steps in the right direction.”
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Help and support:
- Mind, open Monday to Friday, 9am-6pm on 0300 123 3393.
- Samaritans offers a listening service which is open 24 hours a day, on 116 123 (UK and ROI – this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill).
- CALM (the Campaign Against Living Miserably) offer a helpline open 5pm-midnight, 365 days a year, on 0800 58 58 58, and a webchat service.
- The Mix is a free support service for people under 25. Call 0808 808 4994 or email help@themix.org.uk
- Rethink Mental Illness offers practical help through its advice line which can be reached on 0808 801 0525 (Monday to Friday 10am-4pm). More info can be found on rethink.org.
