Quiet Cracking: Why Burnout Is Harder to Spot—and Fix—Than You Think

Cathie Leimbach • October 28, 2025

Based on Jen Colletta’s article To Tackle ‘Quiet Cracking,’ Start with Transformation in These 3 Areas.

Many employees today are quietly struggling. They’re showing up, doing the work, but inside they’re stressed, burned out, and feeling stuck. Experts call this “quiet cracking.” It’s not loud or obvious, but it’s a serious warning sign.


In a climate of layoffs, workers may hide their stress to avoid looking weak. They won’t speak up until things feel unmanageable. That’s why companies need to act early—before cracks turn into breaks.


To truly address quiet cracking, organizations must transform three key areas:

  • Leadership: Empower managers as the first line of defense with coaching, career development, and tools to spot invisible stress.
  • Culture: Shift away from hero culture where burnout is seen as commitment, and toward sustainable goals, clear boundaries, and psychological safety.
  • Technology: Use data-backed insights to predict burnout, track wellbeing, and hold leaders accountable for improving employee experience.


When managers understand workload and performance expectations clearly, they can lead with empathy and action. And when employees take regular time off, retention and wellbeing improve—along with business results.


View 4 Statistics on Quiet Cracking at Work for key stats on quiet cracking and why it matters for your workforce.

How Managers Drive 70% of Performance

By Cathie Leimbach • February 17, 2026
Most CEOs focus on strategy, systems, and talent. But the biggest driver of performance is already in place: managers. Manager behavior influences about 70% of team engagement and results. What happens in everyday conversations matters more than perks, pay, or policies. Managers either multiply energy or drain it. Clear, supportive managers raise performance. Avoiding, inconsistent managers quietly lower it. The good news? Small habits make a big difference: Clarifying expectations Giving timely feedback Addressing issues early Reinforcing priorities These moments add up. Instead of telling managers to “motivate people,” try asking: Where might expectations be unclear? Where is inconsistency allowed? What conversation is being avoided? When managers improve just a little, results improve a lot. 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation to explore how everyday manager habits quietly shape engagement and results.

Why Engagement Isn’t About Perks

By Cathie Leimbach • February 10, 2026
When engagement drops, many organizations reach for perks—rewards, programs, or incentives. These can create a short lift, but they rarely solve the real issue. Engagement starts with expectations. Most people want to do good work. What gets in the way isn’t motivation—it’s uncertainty. When priorities shift, roles feel unclear, or success means different things to different leaders, people disengage quietly. Leaders often don’t realize they’re contributing to this. Vague direction, inconsistent follow-through, or assuming “they already know” leaves teams guessing. Over time, guessing turns into frustration—and frustration turns into disengagement. Strong engagement cultures focus on leadership basics: Clear priorities Shared definitions of success Aligned expectations Consistent reinforcement When expectations are clear, people move with confidence. They take ownership, collaborate better, and stay engaged because they know where they’re headed. Perks can support engagement—but only after clarity is in place. 👉 Read our full article on Why Engagement Starts With Expectations to turn clarity into a real advantage.