This silly yet thought provoking Funny or Die video features Christina Hendricks as her Mad Men character Joan Holloway trying to work in a modern office.
The short video clip shows Joan struggling with today's technology, such as smartphones and desktop computers, and even older technologies like a fax machine. She also attempts to introduce practices common in the 1960s to the office, which are now considered inappropriate. This includes smoking in her cubical and making a martini. She even brings a jello salad for lunch, to the disgust of her new colleagues.
When confronted after attempting to physically erase a typo with an eraser on the screen, Joan Holloway drops some surprising statistics. One of which states women make up nearly 70% of the minimum wage workforce, yet only 15% of Fortune 500 CEOs are female.
Role-Reprising Office Skits
Joan Holloway Returns to a Modern Office to Promote Gender Equality
Trend Themes
1. Technology Gap in Offices - The struggle experienced by Joan Holloway with modern technology in the office highlights the need for innovation in bridging the technology gap that exists in many workplaces.
2. Changing Workplace Culture - The inappropriate practices demonstrated by Joan Holloway in a modern office setting reveal the necessity for industries to continually adapt and promote inclusive and respectful workplace cultures.
3. Gender Equality in Leadership - The stark statistics shared by Joan Holloway about the underrepresentation of women in leadership positions present an opportunity for industries to focus on empowering and promoting women to leadership roles.
Industry Implications
1. Technology - The technology gap highlighted in the video suggests opportunities for the technology industry to develop user-friendly solutions that cater to individuals with varying levels of technological proficiency.
2. Human Resources - The need for inclusive workplace cultures calls for innovative approaches from the human resources industry to address biases, educate employees, and foster equality and respect in the workplace.
3. Gender Advocacy - The statistics on gender inequality in leadership positions call for industries and organizations focused on gender advocacy to accelerate efforts in promoting and supporting women in leadership roles.