HR Happy Hour 293 - Workplace Movie Hall of Fame - Flashdance

Hosts: Trish McFarlane, Steve Boese

This week on the HR Happy Hour Show, Steve and Trish continue The Workplace Movie Hall of Fame series with a look at the big HR and workplace themes in the 1983 hit "Flashdance".

Flashdance was released in 1983 and starred Jennifer Beals as Alex and Michael Nouri as the boss. Alex is a female dynamo: steel worker by day, exotic dancer by night. Her dream is to get into a real dance company, though, and with encouragement from her boss/boyfriend, she may get her chance

Flashdance was also the 3rd highest grossing film in the US in 1983 - $92.9M.

The film has several big HR and workplace themes running though it - some seriously hostile and harrassing work environments for women, a probably inappropriate, (and definitely creepy) romance between the boss and one of his very young employees, how leaders do or do not support employee's dreams and career goals, and the importance of having a more expansive and inclusive idea of talent and potential.

We dug into how these themes are portrayed in the movie, how they inform how we think about work and workplaces today, and what we can learn from looking back at some really different norms in workplaces in 1983.

Steve and Trish also talked about the importance of leadership, kindness in the workplace, and even if it is ever appropriate to kiss and/or hug at work.

This was a really fun show! 

Thanks as always to show sponsor Virgin Pulse - learn more at www.virginpulse.com.

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