Over the years, how many times have you asked yourself the burning question, “Is Die Hard a Christmas film?”
Since its release in 1988, the action adventure, starring Bruce Willis as NYPD detective John McClane, has been the subject of debate on whether it should be classed as festive fun.
While the action is set at a party on Christmas Eve and it’s shown on TV every year during the holidays, the hard-hitting plot as McClane tries to save his estranged wife from terrorists makes it a controversial contender.
Voted the seventh best Christmas film of all time in a poll by Perspectus Global in 2023, Die Hard was beaten by heart-warming classics such as Home Alone, Elf, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Snowman, Miracle on 34th Street and The Polar Express. In a separate survey of 3,590 UK adults by YouGov in 2023, 39% said Die Hard wasn’t a Christmas film, 38% said it was and the remainder didn’t know. Willis himself said he didn’t consider it a festive film.
Regardless of whether or not there’s a decisive answer to this 36-year-old debate, one thing is clear: Die Hard can teach us some valuable lessons on how to save the day in a crisis.
Business leaders draw parallels with how serviced offices can ‘rescue’ businesses in challenging situations by following McClane’s cool headed approach in the film. In the same way that he took on the criminal gang to save his estranged wife, businesses can tackle challenging situations head on by taking advantage of the benefits that serviced offices provide.
Business flexibility
Adaptability in the face of adversity is an important characteristic of leadership. Just as John McClane had to adapt quickly to unexpected situations, serviced offices provide businesses with the flexibility to scale up or down as needed.
While Christmas trees and fairy lights aren’t the usual backdrop for overcoming a gun toting gang bent on destruction, McClane takes the challenges in his stride, despite having few resources and any details of exactly what’s going on. When terrorists try to take over the Nakatomi Plaza hotel in Los Angeles, everyone is captured, apart from McClane, who manages to slip away unnoticed in the chaos and has to think on his feet to devise a rescue plan. This is what leadership is all about: the ability to step up in the face of unforeseen challenges, having the adaptability and grit to roll with it and bring your company out the other side.
All-inclusive support
In Die Hard, McClane has to make use of every available resource to outsmart the bad guys. With serviced offices, you don’t need to improvise, as they come fully equipped with every resource you need including tech, furniture and support.
McClane uses every resource in his reach to overcome the challenges posed on Christmas Eve, whether it’s making a makeshift gun holster out of wrapping paper, or using a fire hose as a rope to descend the skyscraper. Business leaders must embrace this innovative and resourceful attitude to guide their team through whatever workplace challenges arise.
While McClane was a “one-man army” for much of Die Hard, in an office environment, you can not only use the resources at hand, but also your team to work out a solution.
Cost-efficient
McClane managed his resources wisely, and businesses can do the same with serviced offices by avoiding long-term leases and high setup costs thanks to their flexibility.
Serviced offices provide flexible agreements such as short-term leases, month-to-month rentals, or longer terms if needed. This enables businesses to scale up or down when required, without the long-term expense and commitment of a traditional office lease.
Utilities and maintenance are included as part of the rental package, which can reduce administrative burdens and simplify budgeting. Fully-furnished and ready to occupy right away, they are more cost-efficient than the alternative of setting up your own infrastructure.
Prime location
Just as the Nakatomi Plaza was a central location for the action in Die Hard, serviced offices are often located in prime business districts. BE Offices’ serviced offices in London provide multiple business opportunities including an ideal location for meetings, business networking and unlimited opportunities to foster success and growth. Being based in a serviced office in London means you company image can be enhanced, which will help improve credibility and public perception.
London serviced offices are often used to establish satellite offices for global companies, providing a base for regional teams and those working on short-term projects, as they offer excellent connectivity in terms of high speed broadband and an efficient transport network.
BE Offices provides dedicated 10Gb internet pipes with 1:1 uncontended connectivity, as we believe you should never have to battle with other users for bandwidth. Our rapid connection speed won’t be impacted by other clients in the building, as we’ve installed a minimum of 1Gb pipes at our centres – we’re never short of capacity to deliver super-fast speeds.
Business continuity
In Die Hard, McClane was always ready to handle the unexpected. Serviced offices are designed for business continuity with professional maintenance and IT support, even in unforeseen circumstances.
The Christmas period can be a backdrop for our most stressful times, with 53% of employees saying they feel more stressed than usual at this time of year, citing reasons such as financial pressure, time constraints and an increased workload as workers push to meet earlier deadlines before the festive holiday.
McClane had to be ready to handle anything, as lives depended on it. Despite the high stakes, he manages to remain focused, relying on his training and experience to survive when things get tough. Similarly, when things are challenging in the corporate world and the unexpected happens, particularly as we approach the holiday period, it’s crucial to focus on the tasks in hand and ensure business continuity. It’s easier when you’re aided by the professional support available in a serviced office, as you’re not on your own to weather any storm.
If you run a business, it could be time to consider the benefits of serviced offices and how they have the potential to “rescue” you in challenging situations. The demand for these professional environments has been growing steadily in recent years and they are now the preferred choice of 37% of office-based companies in the UK, according to a poll in 2023. The main reasons: because they offer flexibility, can adapt to changing demands and they support growth.
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