Work-Life Balance Gone Rogue? Severance Might Be Offering Us a Cautionary Tale

By: Jessica O’Donnell

If you’ve watched Severance on Apple TV+, you already know – it’s chilling, brilliant, and disturbingly relevant. The show follows employees at Lumon Industries who undergo a procedure that “severs” their work and personal memories. In the office, they know nothing about their outside lives. After 5pm, they have no clue what they do all day at work.

It’s a dark satire, sure. But it also asks a real question: What happens when we try to split ourselves in two just to make work, work?

The Big Idea: Well-Being Can’t Be Split Between Work and Life

In Severance, employees become “innies” and “outies” – separate selves living completely disconnected lives. It’s an extreme metaphor for what many of us attempt in real life: leaving personal challenges at the office door, suppressing home stress, and showing up only as an employee, not a person, day after day.

But here’s the thing – our well-being doesn’t live in separation. We thrive when we’re treated as whole humans at work, not just job titles. No amount of perks or pizza parties (or, in Lumon’s case, melon parties) can replace the feeling of being truly seen and appreciated. What matters most is knowing your employer recognizes who you are as a person – and that they back it up with meaningful support, connection, and a clear sense of purpose.

The Evidence: Increased Stress and Burnout

When work becomes only about work – about efficiency, productivity, and results – we lose something essential. To be well and whole, work must do more than drive performance – it has to support our humanity – our need for connection and purpose.

A recent Gallup article, The Remote Work Paradox, illustrates this clearly. While fully remote employees often report higher engagement with their work than their hybrid and on-site peers, only 36% report thriving in their lives overall. Even more concerning: fully remote workers are more likely to experience anger, sadness, and loneliness. Remote work can unintentionally strip away the day-to-day interactions and shared experiences that foster a sense of connection – to both people and purpose. In other words, feeling engaged in your work isn’t enough to buffer burnout if well-being isn’t supported holistically – through relationships, community, and a deeper sense of meaning.

This echoes the unsettling reality portrayed in Severance, where work is stripped of all connection and personal meaning. The characters don’t just question what they do – they question why they do it. “What’s the point?” “Why am I here?” That sense of disconnection isn’t fiction. When we reduce work to output, we also reduce people – and that’s what leads to stress, burnout, and a loss of meaning.

The Recommendation: Support Well-Being in All Its Dimensions

So, what can leaders do?

Reject the outdated idea that employees should leave their personal lives at the door. Instead, build a culture where real conversations about mental health, well-being, and life outside of work are welcomed – not just allowed. Well-being isn’t just about “feelings”; it’s multidimensional. Leaders have the power to shape three core areas in particular: emotional, social, and physical well-being.

1. Emotional Well-Being: Create Space to Be Human

• Hold regular, genuine check-ins that go beyond tasks and deadlines.
• Train managers to listen with empathy, not just solve problems.
• Normalize seeking support by integrating mental health resources and open dialogue into daily work life.

2. Social Well-Being: Build Connection

• Create spaces, virtual or in-person, where people can build authentic relationships beyond project work.
• Rethink policies that glorify ‘always-on’ culture, and instead promote balance that allows people to stay connected to their lives, relationships, and communities outside of work.

3. Physical Well-Being: Support Healthy Bodies, Support Healthy Minds

• Offer flexible schedules that allow employees to prioritize sleep, exercise, and medical appointments.
• Promote movement-friendly work environments, like walking meetings or standing desks.
• Encourage breaks that refresh and recharge rather than pushing through exhaustion.

The Benefit: An Engaged, Productive Team

When people feel safe to be themselves at work, they don’t just perform better – they stay longer, engage more deeply, and contribute more meaningfully. You don’t need to “sever” work and life identities to protect productivity. When you build a culture that values people for who they are – both in and out of the office – you create a workforce that’s happier, more engaged, and ready to perform at their best.

And let’s be honest—no one wants to lead a team of burned-out innies. Just ask Mr. Milchick.

Ready to Redesign Your Culture?

At MacPhie, we help organizations build cultures that support, engage, and empower their people. If you’re ready to move from wellness initiatives to real well-being, click here to learn how we can help.