Discussion
Reminiscing at work about what office life was like in the late 70s early 80s. Few computers, constant haze of tobacco smoke, phoning abroad regarded as a decadent extravagance ETC.
A couple of people remembered having to refer to colleagues, at least above a certain level as Mr or Mrs rather than first names. Was this common? I certainly never experienced it.
A couple of people remembered having to refer to colleagues, at least above a certain level as Mr or Mrs rather than first names. Was this common? I certainly never experienced it.
Been thinking about this since you posted it.
I started work in 1983 and I'd say that the difference then to now is that then, everyone seemed to work much harder but had more fun working. You didn't have every second Friday off, mental health days, and nobody was worried about whether the joke they told would require a trip to HR. And from what I recall, nobody seemed to suffer from this, though clearly, such an environment did spawn a few who took advantage.
I don't recall referring to senior managers as Mr or Mrs but there was certainly a level of respect that I'm not certain exists today.
I do recall one Christmas work do - must have been around '87 or '88. On the tables at the venue, amongst the bottles of wine were scattered packets of fags and cigars for us all to help ourselves to.
My early career was spent in Ad Agencies, Design Companies, and the like. That was a very different sector then. Creative meetings were usually held in pubs and involve laying on the pub floor sketching out ideas on huge A1 sheets of paper. If we needed inspiration, we'd decamp to a gallery or museum for the afternoon. We'd present hand-drawn concepts to clients; pieces of artwork that looked like they were worth the money being charged for them. Quite often those original concepts would end up in a frame hung on a client's wall. Most of all creativity was collaborative and iterative whereas today it's become somewhat functional.
I don't think you can say it was better or worse, just different.
I started work in 1983 and I'd say that the difference then to now is that then, everyone seemed to work much harder but had more fun working. You didn't have every second Friday off, mental health days, and nobody was worried about whether the joke they told would require a trip to HR. And from what I recall, nobody seemed to suffer from this, though clearly, such an environment did spawn a few who took advantage.
I don't recall referring to senior managers as Mr or Mrs but there was certainly a level of respect that I'm not certain exists today.
I do recall one Christmas work do - must have been around '87 or '88. On the tables at the venue, amongst the bottles of wine were scattered packets of fags and cigars for us all to help ourselves to.
My early career was spent in Ad Agencies, Design Companies, and the like. That was a very different sector then. Creative meetings were usually held in pubs and involve laying on the pub floor sketching out ideas on huge A1 sheets of paper. If we needed inspiration, we'd decamp to a gallery or museum for the afternoon. We'd present hand-drawn concepts to clients; pieces of artwork that looked like they were worth the money being charged for them. Quite often those original concepts would end up in a frame hung on a client's wall. Most of all creativity was collaborative and iterative whereas today it's become somewhat functional.
I don't think you can say it was better or worse, just different.
Terminator X said:
No internet or email at my place. No mobile phones of course.
TELEX - few will remember it."Telex is a telecommunication system that allows text-based messages to be sent and received by teleprinter over telephone lines. Telex emerged in the 1930s and became a major method of sending text messages electronically between businesses in the post–World War II period. Its usage declined as the fax machine grew in popularity in the 1980s."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telex
Austin Prefect said:
Reminiscing at work about what office life was like in the late 70s early 80s. Few computers, constant haze of tobacco smoke, phoning abroad regarded as a decadent extravagance ETC.
A couple of people remembered having to refer to colleagues, at least above a certain level as Mr or Mrs rather than first names. Was this common? I certainly never experienced it.
Yep.A couple of people remembered having to refer to colleagues, at least above a certain level as Mr or Mrs rather than first names. Was this common? I certainly never experienced it.
I started at Prudential in London in 1978. The smoking bit is what stands out to me compared to now. Coffee from the vending machine was 2p though.
The calculator was the size of a typewriter so I brought my own in.
Fusion777 said:
StevieBee said:
You didn't have every second Friday off, mental health days
This is the stereotype and I'm sure plenty of workplaces are like this, but plenty aren't. There's just as much plate spinning in the private sector as there ever was (and often, no unions either).Just thought of another thing. Bikes.
I've not encountered a bike courier for what must be many years.
"In 2022, the public sector sickness rate was 3.6 per cent while the private sector rate was 2.3 per cent. The last time the disparity between the public and private sectors was this large was in 2009.
"The public sector sickness rate is at its highest level since 2003, when it was 3.8 per cent."
https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/briefing_public_...
"The public sector sickness rate is at its highest level since 2003, when it was 3.8 per cent."
https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/briefing_public_...
Early 2000’s was still the dark ages. I worked for a company that sold £1m instrumentation to clean laboratories. The facility I worked in was like a chicken shed. We would warm food up in the instrument ovens and have the ash tray on top.
In the two years I worked there they moved smoking into a room and then outside.
Also, travelers cheques.
In the two years I worked there they moved smoking into a room and then outside.
Also, travelers cheques.
I started my 1st business in 1984 and was a very early adopter of fax machines and the internet, I wrote our 1st web site and put it up for free with Freeserve and it brought in over £1M in the 1st year - I cut our advertising in the trade press by 50% and now hardly ever advertise in the trade press.
As mentioned above, business was a lot more fun then, it was more a game than it is today and there didnt seem to be anywhere as much pressure and legislation to eat up your day. Profit margins were a LOT bigger as well!
As mentioned above, business was a lot more fun then, it was more a game than it is today and there didnt seem to be anywhere as much pressure and legislation to eat up your day. Profit margins were a LOT bigger as well!
mikef said:
Two things stand out
I have always worked with computers - in pre-sales in 1978 I worked on systems that filled a room and have a small fraction of the processing power and storage of my current iPhone
And the drinking that went on; many afternoons we never made it back to the office
In the 80's, my dad bought a massive computer with a tiny green screen that ran his rental TV business for many years.I have always worked with computers - in pre-sales in 1978 I worked on systems that filled a room and have a small fraction of the processing power and storage of my current iPhone
And the drinking that went on; many afternoons we never made it back to the office
When I talk to other mobile engineers the thing that always strikes me is sat nav, today it’s so easy with google maps on my phone
Even 15 years ago was worse, a sat nav that would get you to a street but not to exactly where you where going
And before that, maps! Several people told me they would have a A-Z for the whole country, then loads of local maps to narrow it down more and then ask for directions or phone the customer (from a pay phone) to ask for directions!
iPhone replacing a PDA replacing pagers, old on call engineers would have a pager and have to call the office to find out where to go, now days a intruder alarm can be remotely reset from a call centre in Manchester.
Tools! Before drills where a common place they used to hammer a 5.5mm hole for a wall plug with a hammer and chisels style thing, no Hilti concrete guns back then.
Teams and the internet, today I work from home 100% of the Time and communicate with people in Manchester, Birmingham and even India on a daily basis, imagine that 20 years ago.
Even 15 years ago was worse, a sat nav that would get you to a street but not to exactly where you where going
And before that, maps! Several people told me they would have a A-Z for the whole country, then loads of local maps to narrow it down more and then ask for directions or phone the customer (from a pay phone) to ask for directions!
iPhone replacing a PDA replacing pagers, old on call engineers would have a pager and have to call the office to find out where to go, now days a intruder alarm can be remotely reset from a call centre in Manchester.
Tools! Before drills where a common place they used to hammer a 5.5mm hole for a wall plug with a hammer and chisels style thing, no Hilti concrete guns back then.
Teams and the internet, today I work from home 100% of the Time and communicate with people in Manchester, Birmingham and even India on a daily basis, imagine that 20 years ago.
Austin Prefect said:
Reminiscing at work about what office life was like in the late 70s early 80s. Few computers, constant haze of tobacco smoke, phoning abroad regarded as a decadent extravagance ETC.
A couple of people remembered having to refer to colleagues, at least above a certain level as Mr or Mrs rather than first names. Was this common? I certainly never experienced it.
Late 80s here. No computers that I was aware of (there would have been a mainframe somewhere), only a few people smoked in their office, secretaries to type your letters and send faxes (the latest thing after telex). All the men wore suit and tie. We managed to drive everywhere we needed to without satnav. Red Star to send urgent packages (or muggins in his company Sierra estate!)A couple of people remembered having to refer to colleagues, at least above a certain level as Mr or Mrs rather than first names. Was this common? I certainly never experienced it.
No 'Mr/Mrs' though.
What the under 40's would be unable to comprehend though was how anything happened without an internet and smartphones. But it did, and just as much as stuff happens now.
Edited by Simpo Two on Sunday 19th January 22:48
My first job was working at the British Geological Survey near Nottingham in my Uni sandwich year - 88/89. So very different to now. There was one computer for the department which was under the guard of the bosses secretary - used as a glorified typewriter. Everything was done on paper. Lots of drawing boards and backache… Smoking was allowed but not in open offices. Two tea breaks a day when everybody downed pens and congregated in the break room for tea (no coffee) and biscuits - gratis. 15 minutes to chat/catch-up. Lunch was a canteen - subsidised. Sleeping was allowed after lunchtime if you were sufficiently senior. On Friday lunchtimes pretty much the whole department decamped (drove) to a country pub for a few beers. Occasionally someone went back to the office. Or just stayed for the afternoon. Nobody really cared. It was always sunny. It was the best of times…
Aside all the modern kit and processes, the most profound thing I think I notice in changing since 1982 when I entered work, is feeling that I only feel sure I’m working the duration of my notice period. Back in the day there was much more security, not fearing that you’d be binned at the next swoop of a reorganisation.
Massive change even since the 90s.
No email or mobile phones - letters were posted or faxed. Large documents went by DX. No expectation of turning a document around 30 seconds after receiving it.
I remember getting my first blackberry so I could receive urgent emails when out.
These days a client can simply pdf something or send access to a virtual data room containing thousands of documents and expect advice by return.
Emails are sent at all hours containing the above
One of the benefits is having access to all my research materials online so I can genuinely work from home. When I started out if the law report wanted wasn’t in our library it meant heading out to find it. Cdroms were available but were expensive and were always “out of date”. Lexis wasn’t that useful in the early days.
Now I have access to judgments, textbooks and funny dog/cat pictures from my laptop so don’t need to leave the house.
No email or mobile phones - letters were posted or faxed. Large documents went by DX. No expectation of turning a document around 30 seconds after receiving it.
I remember getting my first blackberry so I could receive urgent emails when out.
These days a client can simply pdf something or send access to a virtual data room containing thousands of documents and expect advice by return.
Emails are sent at all hours containing the above
One of the benefits is having access to all my research materials online so I can genuinely work from home. When I started out if the law report wanted wasn’t in our library it meant heading out to find it. Cdroms were available but were expensive and were always “out of date”. Lexis wasn’t that useful in the early days.
Now I have access to judgments, textbooks and funny dog/cat pictures from my laptop so don’t need to leave the house.
Panamax said:
Terminator X said:
No internet or email at my place. No mobile phones of course.
TELEX - few will remember it."Telex is a telecommunication system that allows text-based messages to be sent and received by teleprinter over telephone lines. Telex emerged in the 1930s and became a major method of sending text messages electronically between businesses in the post–World War II period. Its usage declined as the fax machine grew in popularity in the 1980s."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telex
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