Severance’s dark mirror, HR’s chance to build better than a cult

Tonight, as we unwind from a hellish week of layoffs, many will log into Apple TV+ at 9 PM EST to catch Severance Season 2, Episode 7. I’ll be damned if I miss it! “Chikhai Bardo,” the episode everyone’s been picking apart since the Season 2 recap started trending. Mark Scout is still chasing ghosts of Gemma, his wife reborn as Ms. Casy in Lumon’s cult-like, sterile halls. The dystopian thriller, which picks apart the psychological toll of corporate loyalty, is messy, raw and human. This episode in particular promises revelations that cut to the bone of workplace identity. While we’re still Googling “What time does Severance come out?” or digging into Gemma’s backstory, there’s an even bigger story screaming to be heard. Lumon’s not just a company, it’s a cult. Some of us have seen there before, not on screen, but in real life.

Severance’s uncanny mirror to real-world corporate culture demands our abrupt attention. What does devotion to a company cross into cult territory? What can HR do to stop it?

Severance Season 2 recap and why the numbers don’t lie

The statistics are sobering. According to a 2023 Gallup survey, 60 percent of employees feel emotionally detached from their jobs. Yet, 23% still report being willing to “go above and beyond” for their employer at a personal cost. Meanwhile, a 2022 SHRM study revealed that 31% of employees’ experience “excessive pressure to conform” to company values, a figure that spikes in companies with insular cultures.

Lumon’s melon bars and finger traps are at best, laughable. Unfortunately, they mirror real-world perks that often mask exploitation. A 2024 Deloitte study notes that 68% of employees value mental health support over bonuses.

These numbers show a troubling reality. A workforce teetering between disengagement and blind allegiance, especially where some rockstar CEO is holding court. It’s a weird strew where people are drifting and yet desperate to belong.

Severance takes that and runs wild. Employees spliced into “innies” and “outies,” bowing to Kier Eagan, and Lumon’s unsettling rituals. We have innies recite platitudes, chase extremely trivial rewards (waffle parties, anyone?), and surrender their autonomy to Lumon. Severance’s Season 2, Episode 7 has Mark unraveling, Gemma’s backstory and a lot more that draws our attention to the cult of culture.

It’s fiction but the echoes of real world are deafening.

Uber’s Cult of Disruption (2010-2017)

Let’s talk Uber, a tech titan that epitomized corporate culture as a cult. Back in the 2010s, under Travis Kalanick, Uber was a beast at $70 billion valuation. It was built on a corporate culture fueled by a “hustle harder” ethos. Employees were acolytes in high-stakes mission, often chanting slogans like “Always Be Hustlin” and enduring 80-hour weeks as badges of honor.

The cracks appeared in 2017 when former engineer Susan Fowler published a blog post that blew the lid off. The blog detailed rampant sexism and HR turning a blind eye to 215 complaints to protect the brand. Investigations revealed a cultish corporate culture where “winning” trumped ethics. By 2018, new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi faced the Herculean tasks of detoxifying a culture that had spiraled out of control.

Uber’s saga isn’t unique. Think of WeWork’s Adam Neumann or Theranos’ Elizabeth Holmes. All are stark reminders of unchecked dogma can metastasize. For HR professionals, it’s a case study in what happens when culture becomes a cudgel rather than a compass.

Severance Episode 7 recap, lessons from Lumon

Severance Season 2, Episode 7, aired tonight as fans scramble for recaps explaining Mark and Gemma’s bond. The latest episode, however, had me scribbling notes. Lumon’s severance chip may be sci-fi, but the psychological severance of employees from their humanity is too real. Here’s how HR can steer clear of the cult trap:

Audit the narrative

Culture starts with storytelling. However, HR must scrutinize the rhetoric at all times. Does it inspire or indoctrinate? Regularly survey employees anonymously to gauge whether corporate values feel authentic or coercive.

Balance wellbeing

Lumon’s melon bars and finger traps are at best, laughable. Unfortunately, they mirror real-world perks that often mask exploitation. A 2024 Deloitte study notes that 68% of employees value mental health support over bonuses. HR professionals should prioritize holistic well-being over trinkets that buy loyalty.

Decentralize power

Good workplaces don’t resist pushback. Helly in Severance, her fight is the best thing going so far. HR can dilute centralized power by giving it to diverse voices and ensuring leadership accountability. If you look at the real world, Fowler’s blog post should have been seen as a wake-up call, not a scandal.

Keep it real

Severance’s Season 2 recap buzz, especially around Gemma’s backstory, underscores the danger of disconnecting employees from their full selves. HR must create a culture that promotes a shared sense of purpose.

Beyond the screen

As Severance Season 2, Episode 7 comes as warning, let’s not forget that corporate culture is a tightrope. It’s loose and it’s nothing. Too tight and it’s a noose. Lumon’s fictional but comes as a chilling clarity on HR professionals’ role in creating a healthy company culture. The task for HR isn’t just to build a culture, it’s to ensure that it doesn’t devour the people it’s meant to serve. Tonight, as Mark Scout unravels his wife’s fate, let’s ask ourselves. Are we cultivating corporate cultures where people can truly stand proud of themselves and the work they do?

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