Overview

• EY’s chief wellbeing officer, Frank Giampietro, popularised the term to describe employees who maintain output despite hidden stress and emotional distress.
• An internal Business Insider poll found 154 of 163 respondents experience fatigue, anxiety or emotional strain at work.
• Experts link the trend to a subdued labor market that traps employees in unsatisfying roles as hiring stalls and wage growth slows.
• Reduced pandemic-era wellbeing programs have left organizations with fewer resources to detect or address hidden disengagement.
• Legal analysts warn that untreated symptoms could trigger ADA or Title VII claims, leading advisers to urge regular manager check-ins and clearer role expectations.