(KTLA) – New research suggests that employee burnout may not be as noticeable as was once thought.

There are indeed individuals who genuinely enjoy their jobs and do not experience job dissatisfaction. Some people might view these individuals as fortunate, others might see them as naive, and there are those who may believe they are not being completely honest about their feelings concerning their job.

However, the group of workers who might harbor a hidden resentment towards their employer but continue to show up to work is reportedly on the rise. According to a recently released study, these individuals may be enduring a condition referred to as “quiet cracking.”

What is “quiet cracking?”

“Quiet cracking” is described by researchers at TalentLMS, a learning management software firm, as “something deeper and harder to detect.” 

According to the study, TalentLMS defines ‘quiet cracking’ as a continual sense of workplace dissatisfaction that results in disengagement, reduced productivity, and a stronger inclination to leave the job.

Workplace expert Jim Harter from Gallup, in a conversation with NBC News, explained that employees could feel “less connected, less satisfied with their employer, and more prone to seeking other employment.” He noted, “They experience detachment but also feel trapped, which isn’t beneficial for employers.”

Although this type of disengagement might not be as evident as The Great Resignation, TalentLMS pointed out that it could prove equally detrimental to both workers and employers.

A TalentLMS survey of 1,000 employees conducted in March revealed that over half reported “persistent workplace unhappiness” — with 34% experiencing it occasionally, 14% frequently, and 5% constantly.

It’s not just unhappiness that’s contributing to “quiet cracking,” according to researchers, as job uncertainty also plays a role in it. The TalentLMS survey found that almost 1 in 6 respondents were unsure if they had a long-term future at their company. 

“Employees may feel secure in their roles today, but ask them about tomorrow, and confidence drops sharply,” TalentLMS said. “Companies with retention initiatives or internal surveys that show their people are overall satisfied with their jobs might be at risk of having a false sense of security about their employees’ mindset. 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.” 

Also contributing to the “quiet cracking” wave, TalentLMS says, are economic uncertainties, managerial disconnects, lack of training and lack of recognition. 

“Managers can be the lifeline, or the trigger, [and] their ability to support employees can make all the difference,” the researchers said. “This shows a direct correlation between ineffective management and persistent unhappiness.”

“Empathy and active listening matter more than ever,” the researchers added. “Training and recognition are foundational to engagement, but many employees are going without them.”

What are the effects of “quiet cracking?”

According to TalentLMS, “quiet cracking” has four main consequences:

• Decrease in engagement: Employees quietly cracking are less likely to take on extra responsibilities, share ideas with team members or attend team events
• Reduction in momentum: Disengaged employees “become bottlenecks, not bridges,” according to TalentLMS
• Workplace culture shift: Even if it’s just a few workers, quiet disengagement can spread; TalentLMS says that if just 20% of a team is quietly disengaging, it erodes trust — and energy — for the rest of the group
• Retention rates drop: Employees who are “quiet cracking” are, TalentLMS says, “significantly” more likely to be looking for new jobs, even if they haven’t said anything about it

Can anything be done to reverse the “quiet cracking” trend?

There’s good news for employers, Jim Harter, a workplace management expert, told NBC: “Employers can do a lot about it if they’ve got great leadership and good management that are in touch with people.”

TalentLMS suggested a few ways to combat “quiet cracking”:

• Learning and development: According to TalentLMS data, employees who received training in the last year are 140% more likely to have a sense of job security, and they are also more likely to feel valued
• Regular recognition: Building off the learning and development, recognizing an employee for their efforts is a “low-cost, high-impact” tactic to show someone that what they are doing matters. The TalentLMS survey found that more than a fifth of respondents didn’t feel recognized or valued at work; employees who are “quietly cracking” are 152% more likely to feel this sentiment
• Management training: “Many” leaders are struggling with shaping the day-to-day work experience, TalentLMS says, which directly contributes to employee disengagement. Recommended steps include training managers in empathy and listening, instilling one-on-one meetings with feedback loops and making manager encouragement a metric that matters
• Expectations and workload balance: “Quiet cracking” employees are more likely to feel that their workload is unmanageable or that they don’t know their role in the company. Per TalentLMS, “clarity combats chaos” — meaning that job descriptions should be updated regularly, workload distribution should be monitored and teams should be equipped with stress management tools

TalentLMS also encourages employers to audit their current training and management efforts and identify gaps in managerial support.