Power ranking the 8 greatest workplace movies & TV shows of all time

The workplace can have its ups and downs, but without it we wouldn't have all these classic movies and TV shows.

Clocking into work is like stepping into an entirely different world. Regardless of what your profession is, your colleagues end up being the people you spend most of your time with.

In that time, you end up seeing a whole lot of stuff. From the casual canteen lunch chat that features a co-worker telling you about a hilarious first date disaster, to office romances (forbidden or otherwise!), to team-bonding nights out where everyone, including management, let their hair down and get loose, it's hard to accurately capture the nuttiness of it all. But that's what makes it great a lot of the time.

Some people have been able to capture it though, as you'll see from the classic workplace TV shows and movies we've listed below. If you want to talk about people who "get it," look no further than the writers' rooms of these respective movies and shows.

And to spice things up a little, check out the accompanying swag that we've matched with each production.

8. The Intern

Something of a hidden gem (especially when looking at Robert De Niro's filmography), this heart-warming tale is something we can all take a little something from. It's never too late to try out something new, and there's a lot to be said for being old fashioned about some aspects of your life.

The chemistry between De Niro and Anne Hathaway is what makes this movie really shine. Two world-class actors doing their thing, it's the kind of movie that will make you feel a whole lot better at the end than you did at the beginning, so a perfect one to watch after a tough day in the office.

Accompanying swag: Hawaiian shirts.

The message behind this movie is that it's never too late to enjoy something new, and age shouldn't be a barrier. That perfectly encapsulates everything that makes Hawaiian shirts so special, so it would make a perfect pairing for fans of The Intern.

7. Suits

Before Megan Markle was married to a prince, she was starring in this fantastic legal comedy/drama. A perfect blend of humour, craziness and hard-hitting emotion, it encapsulates so much of what most of us go through at work (even if you're not working in a legal firm).

While Mike and Harvey are the stars of this show, Rick Hoffman's performance as Louis is one of the true stand outs. You could go back and forth between loving him and hating him several times in the same episode, and you never really know how far he is going to take things.

Accompanying swag: Custom swag box.

Mike Ross might have been the one with perfect memory, but we don't think anyone is going to easily forget receiving a box of gifts that were hand-picked just for them.

6. Scrubs

Similarly to Suits, Scrubs perfectly captures the unfettered insanity of the workplace. While the characters spend a lot of time tripping each other up and some of the episodes are downright wacky, it's the relationships you form that make work such a valuable part of life (apart from you know, getting paid).

Also in parallel to Louis in Suits, Ken Jenkins' Doctor Bob Kelso is unquestionably the unsung hero of Scrubs and can be the villain just as many times as the hero. We like to think he's enjoying his retirement somewhere sunny, sipping a Bahama Mamma on a beach with a bright Hawaiian shirt on his back.

Accompanying swag: Bucket hat.

If there's one thing that Turk, JD's best friend, appreciates, it's a good hat. There's a good chance he would be a fan of this classic look, especially now that they're back in style for summer 2022.

5. The Social Network

This might not exactly be a workplace you would want to work in, but you have to admit this story made for one hell of a movie. The backstabbing might be slightly more dramatic than what most of us are likely to encounter in our nine-to-five, but knowing how Facebook was founded might make you look at the social media site in a different light.

If you haven't watched this before, it's definitely worth grabbing the popcorn and throwing it onto the TV because there is something that everybody can learn from it. In short, sometimes you've just got to watch your back when it comes to business. 

Accompanying swag: Custom socks.

You heard it here first; Mark Zuckerberg is a sucker for a solid sock. Opening up a pair of custom made foot gloves would likely be enough to even make him crack a smile!

4. Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Firstly, it's worth taking a moment to consider how woefully under-appreciated this show truly is. Not a whole lot of detective work really goes on, but pretty much every second of this show is filled with a healthy helping of hilarity.

Secondly, the characters in this police depot are another wonderful representation of the people you work with in an office. From the ones who never talk to the ones you never shut up, the fact that this show stars the incomparable Terry Crews should be more than enough of a reason to binge watch Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Accompanying swag: Custom knit sweaters

Jake looks like the kind of guy who appreciates the comfort of a nice sweater, and at the very least Captain Holt is going to enjoy it.

3. Office Space

A lot of this article has so far covered the relationships we make in the office and how bonkers it can be, but let's be honest here, work can be boring as hell, and many days feel like a repeat of every other day you've clocked in.

Few movies capture that quite as beautifully as Office Space. Between the mundane conversations and the blissful experience of working in a bird cage size cubicle, work life isn't all fun and games.

Don't let that description put you off though, it's an awesome movie.

Accompanying swag: Ugly Christmas sweater.

It's got to be Christmas sweaters, the reason being that anyone wearing one would look so hilariously out of place in the grim monotony of this office. 

2. Clerks

If you want to talk about cult classics, you simply have to include Clerks in the conversation. The last thing workplace conversations should centre around is work, so it's better to talk about absolute crap from the start of your shift right the way through to the end.

There's a reason why this movie has spawned so many sequels and continues to be part of popular culture to this very day. It captures the spirit of a long-gone, simpler era, where the best use of a rooftop was to play a game of hockey.

Accompanying swag: Custom summer shorts.

For the roof hockey, naturally...

1. The Office

There was only ever going to be one true winner, and no movie or TV show has ever managed to so perfectly capture work life than The Office. Even in a run-of-the-mill paper making company, you can end up making friendships with your polar opposites, finding the love of your life, and making more memories than you ever could have imagined.

From classic cold opens like Dwight intentionally setting off the fire alarm in a locked-up office, to a Hawaiian shirt-clad Michael taking staff on a day trip to the beach, no two episodes feel samey in any way. Those moments of comedy make up one side of the show, but what really makes this the greatest workplace TV show of all time is its uncanny ability to pull the rug out from underneath you.

One second, you're laughing at Jim's latest prank at Dwight's expense, five minutes later, you're tearing up at a particularly sweet moment of dialogue that you really didn't expect.

Accompanying swag: Reusable tumbler

Michael Scott style, with "World's Best Boss" emblazoned on the front, and purchased solely for your own enjoyment.