Peter Gibbons is a programmer at a company called Initech who is frustrated and unmotivated at his job. His co-workers include fellow programmers Samir Nagheenanajar (who is annoyed that nobody can pronounce his last name correctly) Michael Bolton (who hates having the same name as the Michael Bolton, whom he despises), and Milton Waddams, a meek collator who is mostly ignored by the rest of the office. The staff constantly suffer under callous management, especially Initech's smarmy vice president Bill Lumbergh, whom Peter loathes. They are further agitated by the arrival of consultants Bob Slydell and Bob Porter, who are brought in to help the company layoff.