Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ movie is far from a film about dolls and fashion.
Look beyond the pink glitter and dreamhouses, and you’ll find a social commentary on patriarchal society, power imbalances, self-identify, and mental health.
All of which give HR managers a lot to think about. So, let’s unpack our top three…
It’s another perfect day in Barbieland.
That’s until Barbie’s perfect mask starts to slip when she shocks the other Barbies by asking: “do you guys ever think about dying?”
The second those fateful words are out in the open, the music stops, and the other Barbies gasp mid-choreographed dance. Death? This is a concept that is completely foreign to them, and they don’t know how to handle it.
Feeling unable to voice her concerns, Barbie swallows her feelings.
The only person to validate Barbie is “Weird Barbie” who sends her on a quest to the “real world” to save herself from becoming “weird” too.
The Barbies give a prime example of what not to do if your employee ever reveals they’re experiencing mental health issues.
It’s vital that employees feel safe to express any mental health concerns they might be having. And they should have a supportive network around them. Because in the “real world”, if an employee approaches you with a mental health issue, you have to take this very seriously.
There are steps you can take to support employees, like regular one-to-ones, employee assistance programmes (EAP), and offering flexible working.
In serious cases, you may need to put your employee on sick leave if they’re not mentally fit for work. And once they are ready to come back, you should discuss with your employee any adjustments they feel would help their return to work. For example, you may reduce their hours and gradually build this up over time.
That’s how you become a true mental health champion for your workforce; you create a space where staff feel empowered to speak freely about mental health, knowing their feelings will have validation.
In Barbieland, women rule. That’s the way it is and that’s the way it’s always been. The Barbies have control and treat the Kens more like “accessories”.
But when Barbie and Ken visit the “real world”, they realise that everything is opposite. Ken learns that it is men in fact who rule. And upon his return to Barbieland, he and the Kens seize control. They strip the Barbies of their titles, demoting them from key decision-makers to servants. No longer do the Barbies rule, they now live to serve the Kens.
The issue with Ken’s leadership, however, is that it isn’t very good.
Barbieland very quickly starts to crumble once the Kens occupy the leadership roles. Which tells us one thing: not everyone’s cut out to be a leader.
Being a leader requires a number of skills and incompetence in the workplace may, in some cases, be a reflection of incompetent leadership. Leaders who fail to listen to staff, communicate effectively, or show respect will ultimately create a toxic work culture.
It’s this lack of respect and overpowering desire to ‘one up’ that ultimately leads to Ken’s downfall.
Ineffective leadership trickles down through the ranks. So, it’s important for business leaders to be willing to learn and develop, as well as continuously work on refining their leadership styles for the better.
There are many qualities that make a good leader. They should be firm but fair. They should listen. And they should hold themselves accountable for any mistakes.
Anyone can be a leader but not everyone can be a good leader. That’s why a leadership position is something that employees should earn through hard work and merit.
This means offering promotions based on fair, objective criteria. So, you reward those who demonstrate company values - both in their performance and conduct - with greater responsibility.
As mentioned earlier, women rule Barbieland. Women hold all the positions of power.
So when Barbie meets the makers of Barbie - the board of directors at Mattel in the real world - she is shocked to discover that they are all men.
Barbie learns that in the "real world", women lack representation and power in business. The combination of this discovery and being pushed out by the Kens in Barbieland leaves her feeling inadequate. She then wants to just give up completely.
Businesses must always strive for diversity in their workforce and have robust equality and diversity policies. Male-dominated workplaces may make women feel less confident in their abilities if they don’t feel their male colleagues hear or respect them.
It’s why businesses must make every effort to be inclusive - from the way they hire to the way they operate day to day. It’s important to regularly evaluate your recruitment processes to make sure you’re not accidentally excluding women by using gendered language or having too many requirements. (According to Forbes, studies show women are less likely than men to apply for a position unless they meet 100% of the requirements.)
If Barbie teaches us anything, it’s that you don’t have to be perfect to be a strong business leader.
It’s about facing struggles and learning to overcome them.
And by taking steps to make sure your workplace upholds key equality and diversity principles, you’ll help everyone feel like a valued member of the team. And in turn, you’ll help boost morale, retention and performance in your workplace.
Not to mention, you avoid the risk of facing discrimination claims.
You can learn more about how to put equality into practice in your workplace here.
Kate Palmer, Employment Services Director
(Last updated )
Kate Palmer, Employment Services Director
(Last updated )
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