Strange workplace etiquette in the 1960s

The 1960s were a decade of profound social change in the U.S., as movements for civil rights and gender equality gained momentum across the country. While the standard American workplace was not immune to these changes, etiquette on the job still tended to reflect postwar traditionalism and formality. In offices of all kinds, people were expected to dress up and respect their superiors. Women held lower positions that didn’t pay nearly as much as men’s roles, racial diversity was sorely lacking, and behaviors that are now considered unhealthy and unprofessional could be everyday occurrences on the job. Here are some of the more surprising aspects of workplace etiquette during the 1960s.

Smoking in the office

Today, the thought of people puffing away on cigarettes at their desks seems too bizarre to have ever been the norm. But in the 1960s, approximately 42% of American adults were smokers. The habit was common at just about every workplace, and it was normal to see smoke filling the air and full ashtrays not only in  business offices, but also in hospital halls, airplanes, and more. In 1964, the U.S. Surgeon General released its first report on smoking and health, definitively linking cigarette smoke with dangerous health problems. Smoking nonetheless remained ubiquitous in the workplace throughout the 1960s and for decades to follow, until most U.S. workplaces banned the practice in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Imbibing on the job

As depicted in the hit TV series Mad Men, it was common to see well-stocked bar carts or bottles of spirits tucked into desk drawers in the 1960s. It was also common for executives at big-city advertising agencies and corporate firms to head to nearby bars for what became known as a “three martini lunch.” After a leisurely, booze-soaked break, the execs would put in a little more time at the office before heading back to the bar with co-workers for more cocktails after work.

Formal attire

After World War II, many women started to incorporate more leisurely attire, such as pants, into their day-to-day wardrobe. But in the workplace, dresses and skirts — with stockings — were still preferred in the 1960s. Men dressed in suits and ties, but the silhouette became sleeker as bulky, sloped shoulders went out of style. Despite the decade’s fashion formalities, the idea of “casual Friday” also has its roots in the 1960s workplace. In Hawaii, the president of the Hawaiian Fashion Guild encouraged state politicians to wear Hawaiian shirts to work as a way to promote the local garment industry. The “Aloha Friday” trend had taken off in the state by the late 1960s, but trickled into the U.S. mainland more slowly, gaining widespread adoption in the 1990s.

Office hierarchy

Workplaces in the 1960s adhered to formal hierarchies. There were clear distinctions between management and employees — often physically, with managers in private offices and employees in rooms where desks were placed side by side like a factory line. Communication was direct, usually in person, and people often used titles and surnames when addressing colleagues or superiors. In the early ’60s, cubicles were also introduced to office-based workplaces as a flexible “Action Office” concept designed by Herman Miller. It was a major departure from the traditional office layout, giving employees a more personalized experience.