Before "Working Girl" and "Office Space," there was "Nine to Five" featuring the trio of Violet, Judy, and Doralee, downtrodden female employees who turned their workplace frustrations into holding their "sexist, hypocritical, lying bigot" male boss hostage and hanging him from the ceiling. Or maybe your just remember the catchy theme song.
The movie (starring Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton) came out in 1980, and is slated to become a Broadway musical in 2006. On its 25 th anniversary, it's worth a rental just to see what's changed in the 'fictional' workplace in the past quarter of a century. While you will enjoy the comedic script and snappy dialogue, as an HR practitioner, you may be surprised how prophetic this movie was to worker-friendly practices being implemented today.
The "Nine to Five'' workplace was one without personal computers. On Judy's first day on the job, she is shown her typewriter, adding machine, and Dictaphone. The copier is the size of a Hummer. And she is told in no uncertain terms not to discuss her salary and never to put anything personal on her desk.
Back in 1980, female employees were called "girls" and had a very low glass ceiling under which to work . Supervisor Violet toils for a male boss, Mr. Hart, whom she had initially trained, but who was promoted over her, primarily because he had played football and knew about teamwork. "It's unfortunate you girls never got to play," he says with pre-Title IX superiority.
Hart makes Violet get his coffee, even though she tells him it is not in her job description and that she "expects to be treated with dignity and respect." She watches as a worker is fired for asking to go part-time so she can take care of her children, while another worker is so nervous and unhappy that she drinks on the job. The overworked, underappreciated workers feel they have "no one to complain to," but they don't quit because "it's the same all over."
When Hart takes credit for a productivity report Violet had prepared, a series of far-fetched events leaves Hart imprisoned at home under the gun-toting watch of Judy and Doralee, while Violet takes over the office.
And the movie now becomes prophetic as Violet puts her plan of improvements into practice. Personal pictures appear on desks, and "Nine to Five" is a thing of the past as flextime rules. Violet hires disabled workers and institutes the unheard of practice of job sharing as two mothers split one job. She even sends the alcoholic worker to pre-EAP counseling.
Alas, Hart frees himself with a nail file and returns to find the CEO revealing a 20 percent rise in departmental productivity under Violet's innovations. Hart gets sent to Brazil , and Violet becomes a vice president (hey, it's a movie!)
As an HR pro, you may spot a few questionable practices (such as the removal of the time clock), but go down to the video store, rent the movie, and realize how far things have come since 1980. But you'll have to get your own coffee!