In the context of work, alienation refers to the disconnection or estrangement that workers might feel from their work, especially when they have to spend long hours, sometimes even staying overnight, to meet deadlines. This often happens in high-pressure sectors like IT and advertising, where employees may feel detached from the broader purpose of their work or from their personal lives due to the demanding nature of the job.
Therefore, the scenario described points to alienation, where employees feel disconnected due to excessive work pressure.