Ever since I returned to Kerala, purely as a professional move after years of working in different countries as an airline professional, I’ve found myself in a state of reflection, or rather, bewilderment. What struck me most was the workplace culture among the younger generation I now work with. Being part of an airline start-up, I interact closely with fresh talent, many in their formative years. They are smart, adaptive, and technologically fluent.

Yet… something seems amiss.

My training taught me that you grow with your company, and your financial goals should align naturally with your professional growth and that of the organisation that invests in you. Wealth creation is not a crime, but when it overshadows the effort to build a career, it can lead to an uncertain future. Unfortunately, I find many young professionals lacking this mindset. Is it the kind of training they received? Or a lack of proper mentorship? I am still searching for answers without blaming anyone.

Years spent working in the GCC and elsewhere taught me that professionalism is more than skills or performance metrics. It involves attitude, consistency, and respect – for the work, the team, and the organisation. I was mentored in a culture that valued integrity, punctuality, and teamwork. Sadly, that culture is not consistently visible here. Workplace culture is not created in isolation.

Even so, I don’t think this is a lost cause. What is missing, I believe, is mentorship. We cannot expect a generation raised on digital immediacy and online validation to develop depth and maturity on their own. We need to engage with them, listen, guide, and above all, model the values we want to see. As educator Parker Palmer once said, “We teach who we are.”

In my own office, I am seriously considering a structured mentoring process that goes beyond tasks and targets, and includes values, teamwork, professional growth, and gender sensitivity. These are not just HR requirements, but fundamental aspects of a healthy workplace. Young people need to understand that teamwork is not only about collaboration, but about trust and mutual respect. They should know that professional fulfilment can offer a sense of achievement that no instant luxury can provide.

I have a strong feeling that for many young professionals, wealth creation is the only goal. This generation, often referred to as Gen Z, tends to form personal and professional relationships quickly, and just as quickly, those bonds dissolve. Friendships, romances, job roles, and even dreams often appear to lack staying power.

Of course, I hesitate to generalise. There are thoughtful, committed individuals in every generation. But I do notice a troubling trend — a lack of responsibility, minimal interest in societal issues, and a disturbing indifference to problems like substance abuse. There seems to be a growing disconnect from anything beyond oneself. That ability to reflect, to take responsibility not just for ourselves but for those around us, seems to be fading.

This detachment often stems from an underdeveloped “inner landscape,” a term I use to describe the quiet space within where values are shaped, empathy is born, and strength is cultivated. When that inner world is shallow or fragmented, it affects both personal relationships and professional behaviour. Without depth, ambition becomes a race for rewards. Without reflection, decisions are made impulsively.

That said, this generation has many strengths. They are less prejudiced, more inclusive, and surprisingly open to feedback, if offered respectfully. They embrace technology with ease. Their humour and spontaneity can bring energy into any office. They value freedom. But freedom without direction can easily turn into drift.

Interestingly, I sense that a more serious generation is emerging — children and teenagers who seem more aware, more invested in the world, and more capable of stillness. Maybe the tide is already turning. As senior professionals, our responsibility is not to lecture, but to engage. We must help this generation move from a transactional view of life toward a transformational one.

As the Dalai Lama said, “When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.”

Sometimes, the greatest luxury is not a branded watch or an exotic vacation, but simply the ability to sit still, listen to a song, read a poem, or talk to a friend without reaching for your phone. These simple actions build the capacity for attention, empathy, and reflection — qualities that shape who we are, both at work and in life.

This is not about nostalgia. It is about continuity. We must carry forward the values that shaped us while staying relevant to the present. We may not change the world overnight. But we can begin with our own offices. We can start with conversations. We can lead by mentoring rather than merely managing.

And through that process, perhaps we will rediscover some of our own depth too.