Prerna Gupta, a 33-year-old B-Tech working as a financial analyst in Bengaluru, believes that the idea of a company being a ‘big family’ is a myth. “It’s all about work and what you bring to the table,” she says, capturing the growing sentiment of the trend termed the Great Detachment by her peers.
Recent waves of layoffs, even within prestigious companies, have only reinforced this view, leaving employees like Gupta with minimal attachment to their employers. But Gupta’s story goes beyond disillusionment. She is looking to find balance and fulfilment outside the corporate grind. Her weekends are dedicated to her true passion: interior decoration.
“I focus on creating a balance between work and personal life, rather than investing more than what’s needed in my job. Many of us have passions we couldn’t turn into careers, but the reality of our lifestyles – EMIs, financial commitments, and accustomed luxuries makes it difficult to leave a corporate job, she says.” For her, the side gig provides satisfaction a corporate position often lacks.
Gupta’s experience is a powerful illustration of the Great Detachment, where young professionals, especially Gen Z, have begun to feel demotivated and start reexamining their career choices. Her story is a reminder that, for many professionals, the corporate world is no longer a place of purpose but a means to an end. This growing dissocation goes beyond job dissatisfaction but concerns her changing expectations.
