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Beyond the Pink Slip: Mental Health Challenges Among Displaced IT Workers in India
Jeanne Poulose
School of Business and Management, Christ University, Bengaluru, India
Vinod Sharma and Pooja Sharma
Symbiosis Centre for Management and Human Resource Development (SCMHRD), Symbiosis
International (Deemed University), Pune, India
Romi Sainy
Jaipuria Institute of Management, Indore
Volume 18: 2025, pp. 91-100; ABSTRACT
The case explores and undertakes the journey of pink slips, technological disruption, and
the silence around mental health through the experiences of Karan. The events are drawn from reallife situations and have been adapted to protect the identity of the individual. The case follows Karan
Jadhav, a mid-level IT professional working in Bengaluru. He tries to navigate his life after being
laid off during a strategic downsizing at a Multinational Company (MNC) where he has been
working for more than 10 years. Karan finds himself battling with anxiety over unpaid bills and a
constant dread of not finding a job. In a country such as India, the job is associated with a sense of
identity, purpose, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and social acceptance and respect. Karan's story reflects
the human cost of technological disruption, lack of social and emotional support around mental
health, and policy gaps that leave the displaced professionals vulnerable and with poor to no support.
Designed for courses in Organizational Behaviour, HRM, or Public Policy, it invites learners to
explore mental health inclusion, workplace transitions, and the complex socio-economic and
emotional realities of job loss.
Keywords: job displacement, technological disruption, emotional well-being, organizational
behaviour.
