Bruno Pugh
Nowadays, people are more aware of how their actions might adversely affect others. However, it has not been the same always, and back in the ’60s decade, certain things that are not acceptable today were prevalent back then. Let’s look at the 15 office practices in the 1960s that are cringed upon now.
Gender Discrimination
The struggle for gender equality has lasted for decades; even today, people continue to fight for it. Unfortunately, in the 1960s, it was common practice to discriminate against women in the workplace. One of the most evident examples is how men often held positions of power and authority in the office, and women were assigned supporting roles like assistants or secretaries.
Racial Discrimination
Another practice that is deeply deprecated today and could lead to instant termination is racial discrimination. At times, companies would specifically post openings, allowing only people of a particular race to apply for a position. Moreover, sometimes promotions were also based on ethnicity. Such racial discrimination can result in serious legal repercussions for the company and the employees involved in such acts.
Age Discrimination
There have been several instances when people with more experience were not promoted only due to their age. Companies often refuse to hire slightly aged people while overlooking their qualifications and potential. In such scenarios, older individuals would not find suitable employment opportunities. However, efforts have been made to curb this ageist attitude, and we have seen these changes implemented.
Smoking Indoors
Smoking impacts the health of a smoker and also the people around them significantly. But earlier, no one understood how second-hand smoke could impact a non-smoker’s health, so the concept of smoking zones was not prevalent. People would regularly light up a cigarette at their desks without any restrictions. Fortunately, smoking in the office is not permitted anymore.
No Safety Regulations
Did you know that in any accident or untoward incident at the workplace, the company would wash its hands off and refuse to take any responsibility? Now, due to strict regulations and laws, it is hard for employers to shrug off their liabilities if an employee suffers any injury. Additionally, safer working environments have been provided for the security and safety of the staff.
Bullying
As we are aware, bullying a person can significantly impact a person’s emotional and mental well-being. Sadly, it was a regular practice in offices where individuals having a senior designation would intimidate or harass juniors. We are glad that today’s offices take even a trivial bullying incident seriously to ensure such happenings are avoided at all costs.
Forced Overtime
We may think we are working extra hours these days, but the 60s were much worse when working overtime. Why so? Before, the laws did not mandate compensation for working a few extra hours beyond office hours. Moreover, workers were expected to take shorter or no breaks and work additional hours. Thankfully, now you are fairly compensated for the extra hours you put in and must take mandatory leave.
Limited Maternity Leave
Often, women had to cut short their maternity leaves or face termination. While being expected to resume work, adequate provisions were not made for a new mother and her child. Thankfully, several companies have policies framed to provide sufficient leave for new parents, and some companies also have creche facilities at the workplace.
Strict Dress Code
Men and women in the ’60s were assigned specific dress codes. Women were seen sporting dresses and skirts, whereas men wore suits with ties. It has significantly changed, and now there is no set attire that one is expected to wear except for it being appropriate for the workplace. People have seen a shift to more casual wear.
Inappropriate Advances
A woman often became subject to unwanted advances from her male co-workers and sometimes seniors. While it felt normal for individuals to misbehave with female staff members, today, the same can get you fired and leave a blot on your career. In addition, employers hold seminars and sessions to create awareness and teach employees how to deal with such incidents.
Unequal Pay
It wasn’t uncommon that a woman was paid much less than a man for the same amount of work and in the same position as her male counterpart. The same holds for people of color or minorities. However, with changing times, this issue has received traction, and there have been some laws that consider such practices illegal.
Racial Slur
Don’t be surprised when we say that back in the day, people did not hesitate before cursing or passing racial slurs. It was seen as a sign of power and superiority. If you use inappropriate at your workplace, we assume it won’t be tolerated anymore. While regulations are in place to control such behavior, we can’t say that it has stopped entirely.
Misusing Confidential Information
Earlier, employees never thought twice before distributing a company’s confidential information for a few extra bucks. With evolving times, companies have become more aware and know how to deal with such breaches. Remember that such actions will result in losing your job and legal trouble.
Overlooking Complaints of Sexual Harassment
In the 60s, it was indeed a tough time for women as they faced discrimination and were viewed as objects of harassment by their male counterparts. Despite that, if a woman gathered the courage to complain about sexual harassment, her complaints were brushed off, or she would face termination. Nonetheless, this is not the case today, and now employers do not take allegations of sexual harassment lightly.
Homophobic Attitude
The LGBTQ+ community has come a long way with time, but even they were not spared in the 1960s. As we all know, such an attitude is no longer appreciated, and if one is found guilty, they may lose their job immediately. A welcome change is that employers cannot refuse to engage a member of the LGBTQ+ community based on their orientation.
Comments
Loading…