In the recent episode of the web series – Emily in Paris; Emily, a young enthusiastic marketing professional who’s proficient at digital content creation, recently moved to Paris from States. Unaware of the local working culture, she calls up her colleague on a weekend regarding some work. On which he immediately interrupts and says that working on a weekend is a criminal offence here. Sounds like a fantasy right? It did to me for sure.

As a junior, I always thought it’s only my organisation, that doesn’t have a work-life balance. However, as I grew and even stepped out to explore the world, I realised that the industry is pretty much the same across. However, there are certainly some exceptions.

We are in the third year of the pandemic but surely hasn’t learned anything from the bygones. All the conservations on work-life balance and mental health have gone to drains. The HR does conduct such sessions to fill the activity calendars but never cares to implement those. On second thought, they are no one to take decisions on behalf of the business. It seems like every client is ready to set out on a pitch; the minute you say no to them or their work. They will happily share a brief on a Friday evening with a delivery expectation on a Monday morning. The rest we all know how it happens.

The fresh marketing graduates are also there to prove their sincerity towards the business and that’s the work culture they are taking forward. Well, that’s how we are training them. Working from home has not only blurred the line separating the personal and professional life but has also taken a toll on mental health. This is not funny how working or calling someone on the weekend has become a part of the work culture. People call you without any hesitation and neither apologises to bother. Well, people have been taken for granted. While the suicide cases are increasing; anxiety and depression have taken over a generation.

The industry is somehow walking on the thin rope of have’s and have not’s. The workload has increased along with their responsibilities which have left people exhausted. While many are taking a sabbatical, countless are tensed over their job security.

It just leaves me with a question: Where are we heading to? What kind of future are we looking at, in a post-pandemic world?