Is the fictional ‘Lumon’ office from ‘Severance’ all about busywork?

Each episode of Severance gives us a glimpse into the day-to-day lives of the fictional Macrodata Refinement (MDR) team, and yet, for a department supposedly focused on data refinement, we rarely see them doing any actual work. Instead, they’re wandering the eerie white hallways, uncovering company secrets, throwing illicit waffle parties, or arguing over finger traps. 

Sure, there are moments when they sit at their desks, staring at their computers, but the purpose of their work remains vague at best. In some ways, that feels oddly familiar. 

While most office workers aren’t frequently sneaking into hidden corridors the majority of their work day, many do find themselves caught up in tasks that feel more like work theater, rather than real productivity. Meetings, status updates, emails — it all adds up, creating the impression of busyness without necessarily leading to meaningful progress.

What's the ‘Severance’ series about?

‘Severance’ is a sci-fi thriller series that explores a dystopian workplace, where employees undergo a medical procedure to separate their work and personal memories. By doing so, their "work selves" — known as 'innies' — have no recollection of life outside the office, while their 'outies' remain unaware of what happens at work. It’s an exaggerated, uncanny (and sometimes, comical) take on corporate culture, and the eerie mundanity of classic office life.

The productivity smokescreen

Many workers have experienced days when they feel constantly occupied but, by the end of it, struggle to pinpoint what they actually accomplished. This can happen when a workplace culture loses sight of real productivity, and work becomes less about the output — more about appearing busy.

A 2023 report by Asana found that 60% of employees’ time is spent on “work about work”— things like managing emails, attending meetings, and updating task lists. That leaves only 40% for actual skilled work. 

At the fictional company Lumon, from the Severance series, this idea is taken to an extreme. The employees are expected to stay busy, but their work is so cryptic and disconnected from any visible impact that it’s impossible to tell if they’re achieving anything at all. While most offices aren’t quite as mysterious, many workers do get caught up in tasks that feel similarly disconnected from real results.

But it is possible to move past this, and create workplaces where productivity is genuinely valuable, not performative.

Jobs and Talent —

7 min

Dylan’s job interview scene in 'Severance' is too relatable. Shall we skip this part of hiring?

Dylan’s awkward job interview in Severance feels like a scene from a dystopian thriller—because it basically is. The hiring process is often an endurance test, but what if we skipped the worst parts? A smarter hiring future could be possible, where we do away with outdated methods, and let AI streamline the tedious parts.

Less performance, more smart working 

As workforce dynamics shift, some companies have started rethinking how to reduce unnecessary tasks, and focus on work that truly matters. Here’s how they’ve begun moving away from busywork and toward a more effective, fulfilling work environment.

Automation should replace bad work, not create more

AI and automation present a huge opportunity — but only if they’re used strategically. The goal shouldn’t be to layer new tools on top of old processes, but to remove inefficiencies entirely.

Too often, new technology is added without eliminating redundant tasks. For example, teams might implement AI-driven reporting but still manually compile data for weekly status meetings. (If Lumon had AI, you can bet MDR employees would still be manually clicking through numbers “for compliance reasons.”)

Instead, technology should free up employees to focus on high-value work — solving problems, making decisions, and being creative.

Rethinking the 9-to-5

Severance’s entire premise is about a strict work-life split, where employees’ “innies” know only the office, while their “outies” know nothing about their work lives. While no real-world workplace is that extreme, traditional work structures often feel similarly rigid.

Studies show that productivity doesn’t necessarily increase with more hours — in fact, efficiency drops significantly after 40 hours per week.

Slowly, more companies are experimenting with asynchronous work, where employees can focus on deep work when they’re most productive — whether that’s early in the morning, late at night, or in short bursts throughout the day. This shift helps move workplaces away from a “bums in seats” mentality and toward an approach that values outcomes over hours.

Stop equating meetings with progress

Many workplaces operate under the assumption that more meetings = better collaboration. But that’s not always true.

A Microsoft report found that employees spend 57% of their work time communicating — whether in meetings, emails, or Slack messages — leaving less time for actual work. 

At Lumon, employees rarely have meetings (likely because they’re not allowed to ask too many questions). But if they did, you can bet they’d involve bizarre corporate jargon and endless “alignment” discussions.

Instead of defaulting to meetings, companies can prioritize focused work time, use asynchronous updates, and reserve meetings for discussions that truly require live collaboration.

Global Employment & Expansion —

11 min

Want your small business to go global? Rethink your meeting culture.

It's a common scenario: teams stuck in a cycle of back-to-back meetings, virtual or in-person, struggling to find time for their actual tasks. The common sentiment? Too many meetings, too little time for real work. But the future of meetings could be about fewer, shorter, better quality meetings, that are easier to schedule across time zones for global teams.

Letting people fully disconnect from work

A major takeaway from Severance? Work-life balance matters, in a holistic way — we can’t compartmentalize work and life 100%. (Also, never sign away control of your consciousness to a mysterious biotech company.)

While we can’t sever our work and personal lives completely (yet), employees do better when they can fully disengage outside of work. Constant connectivity — late-night Slack pings, weekend emails — leads to burnout, and burnout leads to decreased productivity.

Going forward, healthier workforces will be about respecting boundaries. More countries and companies are implementing “right to disconnect” policies on this basis, making sure employees aren’t expected to be available 24/7.

Opening up global work opportunities

One of the most exciting shifts in modern work is the access to global talent and opportunities. Remote work has made it possible for companies to hire the best people regardless of location, and for employees to seek jobs that truly align with their skills and passions — without being tied to one city.

This means workers have more choices than ever. Instead of staying in a job that feels like a Lumon-style dead end (congrats, you clicked on numbers!), employees can now build careers that offer flexibility, purpose, and growth.

A new formula for hiring well

Remote's Recruit package leverages smart tech to connect you with top global talent, making hiring faster and more precise.

Find out more

Breaking up with busywork

Part of why Severance episodes have led to viral work-life balance conversations across social media is because the concept feels close to home, even though the overarching plot isn’t based in reality. 

Offices can sometimes feel like machines that keep running, even if the work itself isn’t impactful. But work doesn’t have to look like that. By cutting unnecessary tasks, embracing smarter processes, and giving employees fulfilling work, companies can build environments where people actually want to contribute — not just pretend to be busy.