Office drama can be a stressful part of any job. And human conflict is a tale as old as time. But when workplace theatrics start to look eerily like the latest episode of Game of Thrones or Mad Men it’s probably time to take closer look at what’s happening with your employees. Let’s take a look at five of the best television shows that have worse drama than your own office and what we can learn from them.
1. The Office
Nothing beats a classic, and we all know The Office’s Dunder Mifflin is nothing short of an HR disaster. This office is filled with the least productive staff on television. With all of the gags, quirks, and of course, video documenting, it’s a small miracle Dunder Mifflin kept any of these employees on staff for more than a week.
The drama in The Office is silly and usually lighthearted. But if we examine the show through the real-world HR lens, it’s easy to see how that drama negatively impacted productivity. Over the course of nine seasons, surely some work was done, but the leadership in the office – including Toby, the HR representative – could never keep Michael, Dwight, Pam or the rest of the team focused on the task at hand. The takeaway here is that drama – no matter how big or small – steals valuable time away from your people. Leaders should remember to check in with their people via one-on-ones to ensure that drama is not distracting employees from their work.
2. Mad Men
Don Draper’s swagger and charm may be irresistible, but we could do without the office dynamics of his ad agency, Sterling Cooper. Mad Men’s top-notch writing and 1960s aesthetic combine to tell a story about how one leader’s personal issues can spill into the office and destroy employee morale.
Mad Men is undeniably one of the most respected TV shows from the last decade, and you cannot deny its class, but Sterling Cooper is the posterchild for office drama and HR nightmares. Leadership always sets the tone. Don Draper’s toxic lifestyle influenced the unhealthy environment. Don’t be like Don Draper; lead with respect!
3. Halt and Catch Fire
If we jump forward a decade or two to the 1980s, a different type of office drama emerges in Cardiff Electric, a PC company. The show is set during the height of the personal computer race and stars Joe MacMillan – an engineering prodigy – who finds a fatal flaw in IBM’s computer. Joe’s ambitions are fierce and so is the “all work and no play” mentality he uses to lead his team. This leadership style led to burnout, sellout and even betrayal from members of his team.
Big ambitions are essential to driving a successful company, but if Halt and Catch Fire tells us anything, it is that your people’s happiness is important, too.
4. Silicon Valley
Let’s step away from the past to look at a show that’s a little more cutting-edge. Silicon Valley takes viewers into the insanity of a California tech start-up. Sure, there are fun ideas galore, but when the work of building and implementing a product begins, things get messy between Richard, Erlich and Nelson – and a comedy of errors ensues.
If there is anything to take from the absurd events that occur on Silicon Valley it is that HR is always essential in helping prevent disasters, even in start-ups.
5. Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones might seem like a real stretch, but hear me out! The dark and twisted Westeros adventures of Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister may seem as far away from your workplace as any TV show, but if you look closer, the power struggle for the iron throne may have more in common with your work than you imagined.
In Game of Thrones characters are always living in fear for their life. This high-stakes environment often leads to characters throwing each other under the proverbial bus, making secret alliances and plotting to usurp their superiors. The fear-driven culture of Westeros is not pleasant for anyone with aspirations for a happy life.
Creating a healthy culture built on wholesome core values is essential to making a successful organization filled with happy employees. When investigating and building your own culture, don’t let those Westerosi dynamics creep into your organization’s mission.
