The iconic comedy film 9 to 5, starring Dolly Parton, was a massive box office hit, grossing £76.7 million worldwide and winning two Grammy Awards.
It was particularly enjoyed by women, thanks to its plot of three secretaries who turned the tables on their bigoted boss.
The second highest performing film of 1980 (beaten only by Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back), this seemingly light-hearted comedy contained some deeper underlying messages about office life. It highlighted gender dynamics, empowerment, unfair treatment and a lack of recognition in the workplace.
Despite being released 45 years ago, 9 to 5 can teach us valuable lessons about office life in the 21st century, including the importance of employees speaking up and influencing change. It also encourages leaders to be positive and shows how humour can often defuse tension.
What’s the plot of 9 to 5?
Three secretaries are employed in the corporate offices of Consolidated Companies in San Francisco. Their boss is egotistical company president Franklin Hart, who sees nothing wrong with gender differences in workplace treatment, despite the disparities in pay and promotion opportunities. His bias towards men angers Violet after she’s passed over for a promotion, which goes to a male colleague who’s below her in the company structure.
The three co-workers spend time together at a local bar, talking about their situation and the fact women are pushed into devalued roles based on gender stereotypes, limiting their career opportunities. Initially, they feel powerless to do anything about it, jokingly plotting Hart’s demise and what they’d like to do to him. However, the situation later becomes farcical when their fantasies of his downfall become a reality. He ends up being kept prisoner in his bedroom while being investigated for potential fraud against the company! Meanwhile, in his absence, the empowered employees start managing the business as they feel it should be run.
Story behind 9 to 5
Dolly wrote what became her signature tune, 9 to 5, especially for the film, rocketing to number one in the charts all over the world. The fictional story by American screenwriter Patricia Resnick was inspired by a real organisation called Nine to Five, founded by US union activist Karen Nussbaum in 1973. After working as a casual clerk-typist in Boston, she discovered she had no rights, such as holiday entitlement or benefits, describing instead the “day-to-day indignities” of her experiences.
Launching Nine to Five to support millions of other employees all over America, Nussbaum helped to create a labour union, the National Association of Working Women, for office workers. Her experiences were the inspiration for the 9 to 5 film and song.
Diversity and inclusion in the workplace
Franklin Hart is a memorable villain who represents the bad aspects of every workplace, namely a lack of diversity, inclusion and equity. The epitome of systematic failure, he’s an egotistical bigot who has blundered his way to the top, passing the more talented and capable Violet on the way. He enforces rules that create a miserable office environment, he bullies employees and doesn’t believe in equal pay for all. However, his persona and conduct suggest the malaise goes further than just one man, bring into question the ethics of a company that allows someone like Hart to rise so far.
Why is empathy important in the workplace?
In Hart’s enforced absence, the three secretaries implement numerous programmes that are popular with co-workers in a bid to change office culture. These include an onsite day-care centre, equal pay for all, flexible working hours and a job share programme enabling employees to work part-time when needed. Their ideas seem way ahead of their time, resembling the way that businesses today favour a flexible workspace office. In fact, at the fictional offices of Consolidated Companies in the film, the changes implemented result in a 20% increase in productivity and a much happier workforce.
Advantages of empowering employees
Businesses who have empowered employees in this way have boosted productivity and have a higher talent retention rate, according to the IWG Global Workspace Survey.
A massive 79% of workers would choose a flexible workplace, such as BE Offices’ flexible office space in London, over a traditional 9 to 5 schedule. Current workplace culture shows this is a popular choice in the 21st century, with 73% of UK employees having some degree of flexibility in their job today. Globally, research shows 83% of employees believe it’s a “deal clincher” in the event of indecision between two very similar jobs.
Response to leadership challenges and changes
As well as initiating flexible working and job-sharing, the secretaries also hire a more diverse workforce and rethink the physical layout and decor of the office. The positive impact on ROI is immediate, with productivity shooting up in a few weeks. This leads to the blinkered owners of Consolidated Companies recognising the difference and finally acknowledging the link between treating employees better to achieve positive results.
Interestingly, the film acknowledges challenges, with Judy (who’s returned to the workforce after being married and widowed) admitting she finds the technologies challenging at first. However, armed with new-found confidence after their takeover goes well, she battles on and masters even the most complex tasks.
In the 21st century, technology has advanced to such a degree that it offers many advantages, making life easier for employees: our serviced office space in London has super-fast IT. Our 10Gb internet pipes offer dedicated 1:1 uncontended connectivity, as we firmly believe you shouldn’t have to compete with other users for optimum bandwidth.
In addition, our hosted digital telephone systems provide crystal clear communication for the modern office, with full call management capabilities installed on every desk and included as part of your office package at no extra charge.
Humour in the workplace
While work is a serious business, there’s nothing wrong with injecting some humour into day-to-day life, not only to defuse awkward situations, but also to help keep morale high. When Doralee, Violet and Judy are feeling at their lowest, they use humour to let off steam. Their camaraderie helps keep them focused on the task in hand, which is changing their office culture to create a better working environment for all.
An office needs laughter, according to research from respected institutions such as the London Business School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Wharton School, America’s leading Ivy League university and business research facility. Studies by all three organisations have come to the same conclusion: that every chuckle and humorous moment in the workplace relieves stress, alleviates boredom and boosts wellbeing and engagement. This in turn spurs collaboration and creativity, benefiting individuals and the company as a whole.
While the average workplace has evolved considerably since 9 to 5 in the 1980s, the importance of inclusivity and employee empowerment continues to be a driving force in every successful business.
© Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo
