Podcast Summary: Work with Erika Ayers Badan

Episode: Why So Many People Are Cracking at Work
Date: August 25, 2025
Host: Erika Ayers Badan
Guest: Jessica Rose

Overview

In this episode, Erika Ayers Badan tackles the rising feeling of burnout, stress, and emotional "cracking" in modern work culture. Through candid stories, commentary on recent news, and practical advice, Erika explores "quiet cracking"—the latest evolution of disengagement at work—while dishing out tips for maintaining fulfillment and effectiveness in your career.

Jessica Rose joins fresh from Tokyo, sharing some cultural contrasts before the episode dives into heavy workplace topics: workplace fraud, generational woes (especially wrt Gen Z), viral workplace trends, and the ever-evolving list of do's and don'ts for career success.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Workplace Catch-Up and Tokyo Reflections (00:05–03:44)

• Jessica Rose returns from Tokyo and describes the city as "chaotic" (00:32).
• Erika shares her experience managing a team in Tokyo, highlighting cultural tension and discomfort:
  • On being a Western woman:

    “There is this, what I felt a perception in Japanese culture that western women are whores…” (01:58 – Erika)

• Light recap of the company’s wellness week and this week’s schedule—listeners get a peek into how Erika plans her week and her excitement about the “Work Like a Girl” AI event in Boston.

2. Recent Workplace Scandal: Food52 Fraud (04:34–09:50)

• Erika discusses the fallout from the recent article about former Food52 exec Shannon Muldoon embezzling $270,000.
  • Key Quote:

    “Fraud happens in big companies and little companies...you gotta check the ones and twos all the time. What are people expensing? Why are people expensing it?” (06:34 – Erika)

• Erika emphasizes the importance of administrative diligence and being hands-on with company finances.
• Acknowledges that while it’s easy to call a company “idiots” in hindsight, business is complex and distractions abound:

  • “Businesses are like complicated organisms...there are room for people who want to commit fraud.” (08:44 – Erika)

• Actionable Advice: If you manage or lead, always check expenses and ensure checks and balances are in place.

3. Workplace Trends: Pacifier Trend & Gen Z Stereotypes (09:55–13:34)

• Erika references the “pacifier trend,” where (supposedly) young employees use literal pacifiers to soothe workplace stress (11:02). She’s skeptical if it’s real or just a meme.
• Calls out the negative stereotyping of Gen Z and reframes the conversation:

  • “I wish that people would spend more time thinking about how do we coach up, love up, teach up, push up these, the 20-somethings…” (12:08 – Erika)

• Emphasizes the unique challenges 20-somethings face due to economic uncertainty, social awkwardness from Covid, and incessant digital stimulation.

4. The Main Theme: Quiet Cracking vs. Quiet Quitting (13:34–17:18)

• Introduction of “quiet cracking”—the phenomenon of employees emotionally “cracking” under pressure, feeling stuck in unsatisfying roles, but unable to leave due to poor job prospects.

  • “Quiet cracking is the next big thing at work…it’s employees struggling, they’re cracking under the pressure…but there’s no viable prospect [to leave].” (14:10 – Erika)

• Contrasts this with the “quiet quitting” trend from a couple of years ago, explaining how changing macroeconomics have shifted worker attitudes from defiance to resignation.

5. Instagram Trends and the “Shit Umbrella” Management Metaphor (17:19–22:17)

• Erika discusses how her Instagram feed is now saturated with business advice and motivational posts, specifically quoting Zach Parrott (of Plaid) on the concept of the “shit umbrella” (19:22).

  • “No startup ever wins because their team is the best at attending internal meetings or approving expense reports…A manager’s job is to be the shit umbrella for your people.” (19:29 – Zach Parrott, quoted by Erika)

• Offers her own perspective: managers must shield their teams from unnecessary distractions and company chaos to maintain focus and morale.

• “If you’re a manager, try to keep the stress at bay, keep the noise down, keep the focus and effort positive…” (21:33 – Erika)

6. Corporate Jargon: “Pushing the Envelope” (22:18–23:18)

• Mini-rant about overused strategic language:

  • “I also think that people who use the phrase ‘push the envelope’ probably are the least likely to push the envelope.” (23:06 – Erika)

• Encourages authenticity and warns against buzzwords that don’t lead to real action or innovation.

7. Traits of Highly Successful (and Fulfilled) Employees (23:19–end)

• Erika shares her top tips for workplace success, especially for those feeling overwhelmed or disenfranchised:
  1. Make Others Successful:

     • “The only one that really matters is...if you show up ready, willing, engaged…and able to put a lot of effort in, to care and to focus with intention on making other people successful, you have the best chance…” (24:35 – Erika)

  2. Be Proactive:
     • Emphasizes the underrated value of initiative and how it leads to more “at-bats” and growth opportunities.

     • “Being proactive will always get you more at-bats…Yes, it will cause you to fuck up more, but it’s a great opportunity…” (25:38 – Erika)

  3. Be Solution-Oriented:
     • Move beyond complaints to action. Solve problems creatively and with resourcefulness.

     • “Being about the solution, not about the complaint, being resourceful to solve something is a great skill…” (26:34 – Erika)

  4. Don’t Be the Complainer:
     • Find a safe space outside work to vent, but at work, be a positive force and fixer.

     • “Don’t be the complainer. Be the fixer.” (27:15 – Erika)

  5. Admit What You Don’t Know:
     • Encourages vulnerability, honesty, and seeking help when needed.

     • “Don’t pretend to know something you don’t. Don’t say yes when the answer is no…” (27:30 – Erika)

  6. Tolerate Discomfort and Take Action:
     • Cites the value of doing the hard things as a path to growth.
  7. Lift Others Up:
     • Restates the importance of helping others to find fulfillment and success yourself.

     • “The people who focus on making other people successful at work actually become the most successful people themselves.” (28:35 – Erika)

• Final metaphor:

  “Work is the tuition you get paid for…there is always something to be learned from everything.” (28:54 – Erika)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On workplace fraud:

  “You want to gloss over, you want to get to a better part of your job. Making sure you have a good handle on…the money goes and who the money goes to is really, really, really important.” (07:45 – Erika)

• Quiet Cracking:

  “There’s no viable prospect [to leave]…so this amount of like self-hate and depression and just disenfranchisement is happening.” (15:18 – Erika)

• Shit Umbrella (Management):

  “A manager’s job is to be the shit umbrella for your people.” (19:29 – Quoting Zach Parrott)

• On pushing the envelope:

  “People who use the phrase ‘push the envelope’ probably are the least likely to push the envelope.” (23:06 – Erika)

• On fulfillment at work:

  “If you show up…to focus with intention on making other people successful, you have the best chance of really two things happening: one, you are fulfilled personally and two, you are fulfilled because you are fulfilling other people.” (24:54 – Erika)

Suggested Timestamps for Reference

• Tokyo/Work catchup: 00:05–03:44
• Food52 Fraud Discussion: 04:34–09:50
• Pacifier Trend & Gen Z: 09:55–13:34
• Quiet Cracking vs. Quiet Quitting: 13:34–17:18
• Instagram Trends, Shit Umbrella Management: 17:19–22:17
• Corporate Jargon, “Pushing the Envelope”: 22:18–23:18
• Habits of Highly Successful Employees: 23:19–end

Episode Tone & Style

• Unfiltered, candid, and often humorous.
• Practical advice grounded in real-life examples and current workplace news.
• Empathetic towards generational workplace challenges and systemic issues.
• Encourages authenticity, proactive behavior, and collective success over individual ambition.

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