People got away with a lot of stuff in the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s that’d end your job before lunch if you did them now.
The old assumptions
Discrimination was way too common back then. A mother could get passed over for a conference. Why? Because she ‘needs to be home.’ A married woman could have her overtime refused. Why? Because ‘her husband’s already earning.’ Ouch.
You can probably guess where this one’s going. Yes, employment decisions based on protected characteristics aren’t allowed. That includes things like sex and marital status. You’re only opening up a can of worms if you try.
The welcome routine
New hires used to get more than simple onboarding. They got traditions, although not the fun kind. They’d be given made-up tasks and pranked by managers. It didn’t matter that the newbies were embarrassed. That was the initiation process.
Good luck trying that today. Any humiliation or intimidation in the workplace would become a conduct issue almost immediately. The law doesn’t care that it’s something every new employee goes through.Â
A little extra help
It was a good thing when your kid got out of school early, or your spouse was nearby. Why? Because you could bring them into work to help out, no problem. They could answer phones for you or sort mail. They could even sit behind the front desk for an hour.
People didn’t think anything of it. However, it’s a completely different story these days. There’s no way a minor could do actual work. As for a family member or spouse? That’s breaking practically every privacy rule.
The drawer system
Customers’ files used to follow whoever was working on them. You could walk around with mortgage papers in a briefcase and patient notes in the front seat. It wasn’t called a ‘data breach.’ That’s mostly because nobody used the phrase yet.
But it wouldn’t fly today. You’re not allowed to take any protected customer information home or leave any record unsecured. It’d be a violation of company privacy. Don’t forget about federal data protection rules, too.
The nickname problem
Many boomer workplaces ran on nicknames. They weren’t exactly the friendly kind. A guy with a limp would be called something different, and someone with an accent would get a ‘special’ name. Everyone passed it off as office humor. It clearly wasn’t.
Thankfully, today, that sort of behavior wouldn’t be allowed. Name-calling is a big no-no. It’d fall straight under ‘harassment’ if anyone tried that in the workplace.Â
The shared login
It was during the late ‘70s and ‘80s that office computers started showing up. But security culture? That was way behind. Boomers would tape their passwords to monitors, and entire departments would use the same admin account. It saved them a lot of time.
But we recognize the dangers of doing that today. Using someone else’s login will lead straight to a security investigation or maybe immediate termination. It’s a huge risk. No wonder companies take it so seriously.
The silent injury
Injuries in the workplace have always been an issue. But boomers didn’t always treat them that way. A warehouse worker could hurt themselves, and their manager would say, ‘You’re fine, just keep moving.’ Supervisors would sometimes make their staff handle injuries in silence.
They didn’t want the department to look bad. However, that approach would ruin your career today. Workers have the right to report injuries. The law protects them. So, there’s no way a manager could punish or pressure them to keep quiet anymore.
The funny outfit
Some boomer bosses thought that embarrassment sold things. Anytime there was a promotion up for grabs, there’d be someone getting shoved into a giant chicken suit. Or maybe they’d be in a fake bikini costume. It’d be something ridiculous. Saying no wasn’t an option.Â
You’d be called ‘difficult.’ But today? Not so much. Dress requirements related to stereotypes or humiliation aren’t allowed. You’d be heading straight for a discrimination complaint. That’s not exactly worth it.
The family talk
There used to be a rule about problems in the workplace. What was it? Don’t email it and don’t document it. Essentially, don’t make it ‘official.’ You were supposed to come into the office to talk it out, and that approach worked for years. Then companies were sued for doing exactly that.
Telling someone no to go to HR or report harassment is a big mistake. It’d create retaliation issues. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen. In fact, retaliation’s been one of the most common Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaints for years. Don’t risk it.
The personal remark
Honestly, it’s weird how normal some workplace comments used to be. They’d talk about other people’s bodies like it was the weather. ‘Are you expecting?’ ‘Wow, you’re filling out.’ Not everyone meant badly, but not everyone meant well, either.
Comments like that aren’t allowed at all. You’re not allowed to talk about someone’s pregnancy, illness, medication, or disability, most topics really. That’d break practically every rule in the book.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
