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‘Quiet quitting’ is a past trend. Why workers are ‘quiet cracking’

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12 months ago

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Before employees engage in “quiet quitting,” first come signs of “quiet cracking.”

“Quiet quitting” refers to the idea of an employee doing the bare minimum at work, according to ResumeBuilder.

Meanwhile, “quiet cracking” is a “persistent feeling of workplace unhappiness that leads to disengagement, poor performance, and an increased desire to quit,” according to a new report from cloud learning platform TalentLMS, which coined the term. While they are both different responses to burnout and stress, quiet cracking could lead to quiet quitting in some cases, experts say.

“Unlike burnout, it doesn’t always manifest in exhaustion. Unlike quiet quitting, it doesn’t show up in performance metrics immediately. But it is just as dangerous,” the report notes.

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More than half, 54%, of surveyed employees say they experience some level of quiet cracking, according to the TalentLMS report. About 47% said they rarely or never feel that way.

The survey polled 1,000 employees in the U.S. across industries in March.

Frank Giampietro, chief wellbeing officer at the Americas offices of EY, a professional services and accounting firm, said via email that quiet cracking and quiet quitting are “two sides of the same coin.”

“Both are responses to burnout in the workplace, and both can be an issue for organizations, if unaddressed,” he said.

‘They feel detached, but they also feel stuck’ 

Terms like quiet cracking, quiet quitting and the so-called great resignation all showcase underlying trends in the broader labor market, said Cory Stahle, a senior economist at Indeed, a job search site. 

“If we look at the great resignation, a lot of that was about people jumping jobs,” he said. “And that really mirrors what we saw in the underlying data.” 

But now, the job market isn’t so good — more people are staying put in current roles, and there’s not an easy outlet to remedy the experience of quiet cracking.

We are seeing a slowing of the economy from the data, says Natixis' Jack Janasiewicz

Quiet cracking is another way of describing employee detachment, where workers feel “less connected, less satisfied with their employer, more likely to be looking for other work,” said Jim Harter, a workplace expert at Gallup.

“They feel detached, but they also feel stuck, and it’s not good for employers,” he said.

The cost of disengagement in the U.S. is approximately $2 trillion in lost productivity, according to an August report from Gallup.

‘People have been less encouraged to switch jobs’

In late 2021 and throughout 2022, at the height of the great resignation, if a worker felt like it was time for them to move on from a current role, there were plenty of job opportunities to choose from, said Stahle. At the same time, wages were rising at a fast pace, so many individuals engaged in job-hopping. 

Such conditions “encouraged people to resign,” said Stahle.

About 60% of workers who switched jobs from April 2021 to March 2022 saw an increase in their real earnings over the same month the year prior, according to a 2022 report by the Pew Research Center. Among workers who stayed at their current roles, 47% experienced wage growth.

They feel detached, but they also feel stuck.

However, the economy has slowed down since then. Due to growing economic uncertainty fewer workers have been quitting their jobs and companies have slowed down hiring, experts say.

The idea of job switching to grow your income has also flipped — since February, wages for job stayers have outpaced the earnings of job switchers, according to Federal Reserve data.

“As job postings have become less plentiful, as wages have slowed down, people have been less encouraged to switch jobs,” said Stahle.

A ‘two-way street’

Several factors can cause worker disengagement and burnout, such as a lack of clear goals, the workload and poor relationships at work, experts say.

There are ways workers can reclaim a sense of agency in the situation, said Harter. Workers who feel disengaged and frustrated need to reach out to their manager, express what they’re experiencing and perhaps ask for guidance, he said.

However, it should also be a “two-way street,” he said. 

While organizations may be going through business challenges as well, Harter said leaders have the power to impact their organizational structure. 

“Employers can do a lot about it if they’ve got great leadership and good management that are in touch with people,” said Harter. 

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Personal Finance

$20,000 Caution Bond Requirement for US Visa Applications imposed on 50 Countries

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6 days ago

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August 8, 2026

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The United States Department of State has officially implemented a revised visa policy introducing a mandatory posting requirement for caution payments of up to $20,000 on select foreign travel applications. Under the updated regulatory framework, consular officials are authorized to require temporary nonimmigrant visa applicants from targeted foreign countries to post a refundable financial bond of $20,000 as a condition for visa issuance. The policy mechanism is designed to address diplomatic concerns regarding high overstay rates among temporary visitor, business, and educational visa categories.

The caution bond pilot program applies selectively to foreign nationals from designated countries whose diplomatic entities record historical visa overstay rates exceeding established federal thresholds. Under administrative guidelines published by the State Department, the full financial deposit is posted directly to a dedicated federal escrow account prior to final visa issuance. The entire caution payment is automatically refunded to the applicant upon verified proof of timely departure from the United States in strict compliance with the authorized duration of stay. Conversely, failure to depart within the legal timeframe results in full forfeiture of the posted financial bond to the United States government.

Diplomatic representatives and travel policy experts have expressed varying perspectives regarding the operational implementation of the caution bond system. Administration officials emphasize that the measure serves as an effective, market-based incentive to enforce international travel compliance and preserve domestic immigration security standards. However, international trade organizations and foreign diplomatic missions have raised concerns regarding the financial burden imposed on legitimate business travelers, foreign students, and commercial partners from developing nations.

The United States finalized the rule to make the temporary visa bond program permanent, taking effect on August 3, 2026. The updated permanent regulation replaces the prior 12-month pilot, eliminates the lowest $5,000 tier, and raises the maximum required bond amount to $20,000 for specific B-1/B-2 business and tourist visa applicants.

Here is the list of the 50 countries on the list as o August 3, 2026

African Nations (31 Countries)

  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Benin
  • Botswana
  • Burundi
  • Cabo Verde (Cape Verde)
  • Central African Republic
  • Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
  • Djibouti
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • The Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Lesotho
  • Malawi
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Nigeria
  • São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Asian & Eastern European Nations (11 Countries)

  • Bangladesh
  • Bhutan
  • Cambodia
  • Georgia
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Mongolia
  • Nepal
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Tajikistan
  • Turkmenistan
  • Uzbekistan

Caribbean & Latin American Nations (5 Countries)

  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Cuba
  • Dominica
  • Grenada
  • Venezuela

Oceanian Nations (3 Countries)

  • Fiji
  • Tonga
  • Vanuatu

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Personal Finance

Next-Generation Retirement Planning: Managing Longevity Risk and Variable Income Streams

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1 week ago

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August 7, 2026

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Retirement planning strategies are evolving in 2026 to address increased life expectancies, shifting dynamic market conditions, and the transition away from traditional defined-benefit pensions. Individual investors and financial advisors are abandoning rigid retirement models in favor of flexible, multi-asset strategies designed to mitigate longevity risk and preserve purchasing power over multi-decade retirement horizons.

Mitigating Longevity Risk with Dynamic Asset Allocation
As average life expectancies extend past eighty-five years, one of the primary financial risks facing retirees is outliving their accumulated wealth. Traditional fixed income allocations—such as the standard 60/40 equity-to-bond portfolio—are being reevaluated to ensure portfolios generate sufficient capital growth alongside reliable income.

Financial planners recommend maintaining a meaningful equity allocation throughout retirement to offset long-term inflation erosion. High-dividend equity funds, global real estate investment trusts (REITs), and inflation-indexed Treasuries are combined to create diversified portfolios that deliver both growth and income stability.

The Transition to Dynamic Withdrawal Strategies
The classic “4% safe withdrawal rule” is increasingly replaced by dynamic withdrawal strategies that adapt annually based on market performance. Under a dynamic withdrawal framework, retirees adjust their annual distribution rates within pre-set caps and floors:
– Market Upside: During strong market returns, retirees can increase discretionary spending or fund family legacy gifts.
– Market Downturns: During market pullbacks, spending distributions are temporarily reduced to prevent sequence-of-returns risk and preserve core investment principal.

Guaranteed Lifetime Income Options and Deferred Annuities
To establish a guaranteed baseline for essential living expenses, individuals are incorporating modern fixed-indexed and deferred longevity annuities into their broader retirement architectures. Modern annuity structures offer competitive return caps, transparent fee schedules, and inflation-adjustment options.

By funding essential expenses—such as housing, healthcare, and insurance—with guaranteed income streams from Social Security, pensions, and annuities, retirees can manage discretionary investment portfolios with greater flexibility and lower emotional stress during market volatility.

Actionable Steps for Future Retirees
1. Calculate Baseline Retirement Expenses: Determine fixed living costs and map guaranteed income sources to cover essential expenditures.
2. Adopt Flexible Withdrawal Rules: Implement dynamic spending rules to protect investment principal against market downturns.
3. Incorporate Inflation-Protected Assets: Maintain exposure to dividend-growing equities and inflation-indexed bonds to safeguard long-term purchasing power.

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Personal Finance

Building Generational Wealth: Family Governance, Estate Tax Optimization, and Asset Protection

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2 weeks ago

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August 1, 2026

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As the largest intergenerational transfer of wealth in history accelerates, high-net-worth families, entrepreneurs, and individual investors are placing heightened emphasis on comprehensive estate planning, family governance, and asset protection. Preserving capital across generations requires a balanced approach combining tax-efficient legal structures with open family communication and financial literacy education.

Optimizing Estate Tax Exemptions and Trust Structures
With potential modifications to federal estate tax exemption thresholds on the horizon, proactive estate planning is essential for high-net-worth households. Estate planning attorneys and wealth advisors are establishing multi-generational trust structures to transfer wealth efficiently while minimizing estate and gift tax exposure.

Popular structural strategies include:
– Irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts (ILITs): Utilizing life insurance proceeds to provide liquidity for estate tax obligations without expanding the taxable estate.
– Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts (GRATs): Transferring rapidly appreciating assets to beneficiaries with minimal gift tax consequences.
– Dynasty Trusts: Preserving wealth across multiple generations while providing long-term asset protection from creditor claims and legal liabilities.

Establishing Family Governance and Financial Education
Legal and financial structures alone cannot guarantee long-term wealth preservation without effective family governance. Financial advisors report that a significant percentage of multi-generational wealth dissipation stems from lack of communication and inadequate financial preparation among heir generations.

Families are establishing formal family governance frameworks, including periodic family meetings, written mission statements, and structured philanthropic foundations. Involving younger family members in charitable grant-making and investment discussions fosters financial stewardship and prepares heirs to manage family assets responsibly.

Digital Asset Custody and Legacy Planning
In today’s modern economy, estate planning must extend beyond physical real estate and traditional brokerage accounts to encompass digital assets. Comprehensive estate plans now include detailed inventories and legal access protocols for corporate domain names, intellectual property, digital media rights, and cryptocurrency holdings.

Fiduciaries and estate executors should be provided with secure, encrypted access mechanisms and clear legal authority to manage and transfer digital holdings in accordance with the owner’s estate directions.

Practical Steps for Legacy Planning
1. Review and Update Estate Documents: Ensure wills, revocable trusts, and power-of-attorney designations accurately reflect current family structures.
2. Establish Structured Trusts: Utilize irrevocable trusts to protect assets from creditors and minimize future estate tax liabilities.
3. Create a Digital Estate Inventory: Document access protocols and legal permissions for all online accounts, intellectual property, and digital assets.

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