‘Quiet cracking’ experienced by 30% of Singapore workers regularly: survey 

[SINGAPORE] More than 80 per cent of employers in Singapore said employee disengagement is affecting their companies – with more than 30 per cent of workers “quiet cracking” frequently, a survey by recruitment agency Robert Walters released last week found.

Quiet cracking is when employees show up to work, but internally struggle under the weight of pressure, job uncertainty and stalled professional growth. It differs from “quiet quitting”, which is when workers choose to do the bare minimum at work.

The poll was conducted on LinkedIn across around 90 organisations in Singapore. It also found that 65 per cent of working professionals in the city-state experience quiet cracking occasionally.

This was a mark higher than the 30 per cent of employees globally who feel the same way, based on the wider Talent Trends 2026 report by Robert Walters.

The act of quiet cracking can lead to a “slow, silent decline in well-being and performance”, and is often triggered by poor leadership, unclear expectations, unmanageable workloads and a fear of job loss, said the report.

Such employee experiences could lead to an “engagement recession” in 2026, noted the report. This happens when the individual experience of quiet cracking accumulates across teams and departments, and influences productivity levels and the culture of a company negatively.

For instance, one in five employees said they would feel less motivated if a colleague was disengaged, a separate Robert Walters survey in 2025 showed.

A productivity drain in the last 12 months connected to individual disengagement has also been observed by nearly 80 per cent of managers.

This comes on the back of global engagement levels declining from 23 per cent in 2024, to 21 per cent a year later, contributing to around US$438 billion in lost productivity, based on a Gallup survey in 2025.

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Leadership solutions

Employers are taking action to address quiet cracking at the workplace, with one in two employers looking into career development initiatives for their staff.

Additionally, 31 per cent of employers in Singapore have considered leadership training to resolve this issue.

Kirsty Poltock, country manager of Robert Walters Singapore, said that leaders must first care about their employees, in order to get them to care about their work.

“Disengagement usually starts from the little things – much like a hairline fracture. Creating an environment where people are motivated to grow, collaborate and succeed together can boost innovation, productivity and eventually help retain top talent,” she added.

This comes as 47 per cent of workers who experience quiet cracking feel their leaders do not listen to their issues, noted the global Talent Trends 2026 report.

It also noted that organisations that get ahead of this trend in 2026 will be those that respond “early and intentionally”.

“Leaders will need to make listening a core behaviour, set clearer priorities and rebalance workloads before pressure escalates,” said the report.

This could look like auditing team capacity, clarifying expectations and reducing low-value tasks.

Consistent practices that reinforce recognition and belonging were also flagged as important. This could help employees see a future with the organisation, said the report.

Career cushioning

Some workers are deciding to “career cushion” as a solution to quiet cracking – with 68 per cent of them doing so in one way or another, based on the global report.

This would entail strengthening one’s career options to soften any potential blows caused by changes within one’s job situation.

More than 80 per cent of working professionals worldwide are considering a career move in 2026. Additionally, over 40 per cent of these professionals have already taken steps to look for a new job.

The report said many employees are proactively building a “career safety net”, while strengthening their skills and staying close to the job market.

In particular, workers are increasing their visibility these days, with 36 per cent stepping up their networking efforts; 30 per cent of them updating their CVs; and 24 per cent upskilling to stay competitive.

Businesses should not view career cushioning as a threat, however, for those concerned about losing valued employees, said the report.

“These behaviours (may simply) highlight where employees feel insecure or unclear about their future, often revealing organisational gaps in communication, progression pathways, leadership capability or culture,” it explained.

Clarifying expectations, having honest conversations and investing in development could help leaders address concerns early, and redirect efforts into internal mobility.

Organisations that thrive in 2026 will be those that treat career cushioning as an opportunity to attract new top-tier talent, while strengthening engagement and improving development pathways for current employees, said the report.