By Ts. Elman Mustafa El Bakri
Lately, a new workplace trend has been making headlines: quiet cracking. Unlike quiet quitting — which is often a deliberate disengagement — quiet cracking is more subtle and more dangerous. It describes employees who are still clocking in, still replying to emails, still delivering results… but emotionally and mentally, they’re hanging by a thread.
According to recent reports, more than half of employees globally are experiencing some form of quiet cracking. Among Gen Z, that number jumps to 72%. These are young professionals showing up to work while silently struggling — often unseen and unheard — until performance drops, motivation fades, or worse, they leave without warning. The estimated global productivity cost? USD438 billion annually.
As someone who works closely with both employers and young talents, I’m not surprised by the numbers — but I am concerned by how little we’re doing to address the root issue. Because if we’re being honest, the warning signs were always there. They just weren’t loud enough to trigger immediate change.
What’s behind this silent crisis? Some of it is structural: job insecurity, limited growth opportunities, the anxiety of navigating AI disruption. But much of it comes down to something even more basic — a breakdown in communication.
In workplaces where people don’t feel heard, appreciated, or even noticed, it doesn’t take long before disengagement creeps in. And when young employees are afraid to speak up — afraid that voicing concerns will make them look weak, ungrateful, or replaceable — they don’t complain. They crack.
This is where we need to revisit something we often treat as “soft skills,” but which, in reality, are anything but soft: communication.
More than a century ago, Dale Carnegie laid out a framework for human connection that still holds up today. His timeless advice — be a good listener, show sincere appreciation, avoid criticism, understand others’ perspectives — sounds simple. But in a high-pressure, KPI-driven workplace, it’s often the first thing we forget.
In fact, I’d argue that Carnegie’s approach is exactly what today’s managers and executives need to rediscover. Because communication isn’t just about sending instructions or providing updates. It’s about building trust. And in today’s workplace, trust is what keeps teams engaged, especially when things get tough.
If you lead a team, you don’t need to be a therapist or motivational speaker. But you do need to create space where people feel safe being honest. Where a junior employee can say, “I’m overwhelmed,” without fear of judgment. Where someone struggling with direction feels it’s okay to ask for clarity — not just complete another task on autopilot.
This isn’t just about being “nice.” It’s about being effective. When people feel seen and supported, they bring more of themselves to the work. They become more engaged, more invested, and more likely to grow with the organisation.
Unfortunately, too many leaders are still stuck in outdated models — managing by metrics, not relationships. They hold one-on-ones to track performance, not understand what’s affecting it. They give feedback, but forget to ask for it. They talk, but rarely listen.
It’s easy to dismiss all this as generational sensitivity. But we need to realise something: Gen Z isn’t asking for coddling. They’re asking for connection. In a world that’s increasingly automated and impersonal, they’re craving meaning and belonging. And if we can’t offer that, they’ll disengage — sometimes quietly, sometimes permanently.
So what can we do? For starters, let’s bring back Carnegie — not as a seminar, but as a practice. Start conversations with sincerity and respect. Personalise your approach. Listen actively without rushing to respond. Offer thoughtful feedback in place of criticism, and acknowledge contributions genuinely. And when you ask how someone’s doing, take the time to listen to the answer.
On a systems level, employers should invest in communication training, not just technical upskilling. Equip managers to identify emotional signals and respond with empathy. Foster a culture where psychological safety is not just a concept, but a daily practice. And ensure feedback flows in all directions — from leaders to teams, and just as importantly, from teams back to leaders.
To be clear, communication won’t solve everything. But it’s a powerful starting point. When people feel genuinely heard at work, challenges don’t compound in silence — they begin to resolve through understanding.
And to the young professionals out there who feel like they’re quietly cracking — know this: you’re not weak for feeling stuck. You’re human. But you owe it to yourself to reach out, to speak up, and to seek out leaders who will listen. Not all workplaces are created equal. And you deserve to grow in one that sees you fully.
If the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that performance without presence is not sustainable. And in the end, people don’t burn out because they’re working too hard — they burn out because they feel like they don’t matter.
We already have the tools to address this. What’s needed now is the will to use them. Not with ping pong tables or wellness slogans, but with better conversations. Open communication strengthens trust; and trust is what truly sustains leadership.
The author is CEO and Founder of HESA Healthcare Recruitment Agency and serves on the Industrial Advisory Panel for the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Universiti Malaya.