The 1970s workplace was a different universe.
You could smoke at your desk, drink at lunch, and punch out early on Fridays without losing your job.
Office culture back then would send today’s HR departments into absolute panic mode.
These traditions defined an entire generation of workers who showed up in suits, typed on carbon paper, and actually stayed at one company for 40 years.
1. The Three-Martini Lunch
Business lunches in the 1970s were legendary for all the wrong reasons.
Executives and employees regularly enjoyed alcoholic beverages during their midday meal.
Some companies even had formal guidelines allowing up to two drinks at lunch.
Private mortgage firms and other businesses took it further, with executives keeping mini bars right in their offices.
The casual drinking culture extended beyond special occasions and was simply part of everyday work life.
Why It’s On This List: This practice was so common that it became a symbol of 1970s corporate excess, though it would result in immediate termination today.
2. Smoking at Your Desk
Cigarette smoke filled every office in the 1970s.
Workers lit up at their desks without a second thought.
Offering a colleague a cigarette was considered a gesture of friendship.
Lighting someone’s cigarette demonstrated respect and professionalism.
Non-smokers were a small minority who had no choice but to breathe in secondhand smoke all day long.
Ashtrays were as common as staplers on every desk.
Why It’s On This List: Smoking indoors was not just permitted but actively encouraged as a way to build workplace relationships and camaraderie.
3. The Gold Watch at Retirement
Companies honored long-serving employees with an engraved gold watch.
This tradition traced back to the 1940s and remained strong through the 1970s.
The gesture symbolized “you dedicated your time to us, now we’re returning the favor.”
Workers typically spent 30 to 40 years at a single company, making the gift meaningful.
Gold cost around $34 per ounce back then, making these watches affordable for companies.
Foundries, railroads, and factories made this practice particularly common.
Why It’s On This List: The gold watch became an iconic symbol of workplace loyalty and lifetime employment that defined an entire generation.
4. The Typing Pool
Large companies employed rooms full of typists working side by side.
About 20 women would sit at desks with Imperial typewriters, all facing forward.
A supervisor sat at the front in “stately control” of the entire operation.
Only top executives like the Managing Director got personal secretaries.
Everyone else submitted their work to the typing pool supervisor.
Typists worked from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM on weekdays and 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturdays.
Why It’s On This List: The typing pool represented a highly organized system that kept offices running before personal computers changed everything.
5. Carbon Paper Everywhere
Offices consumed massive amounts of carbon paper in the 1970s.
Value for weight, it was the most expensive item in any office.
Secretaries used carbon paper to create copies of every document.
Scammers targeted unsuspecting offices with carbon paper schemes.
A secretary might order a “box” expecting 100 sheets and receive a shipment so large it had to be craned through the window.
These scams cost companies hundreds of pounds and were as annoying as today’s email spam.
Why It’s On This List: Carbon paper was essential technology that made the workplace messy, expensive, and vulnerable to creative scams.
6. Mandatory Coffee Breaks
The term “coffee break” became popular in 1952 and flourished through the 1970s.
Companies recognized that break rooms boosted both morale and productivity.
In the 1970s and 1980s, workplace cafeterias became more inviting and social.
Automatic coffee machines made coffee available around the clock.
These breaks evolved from functional necessities into meeting places for informal conversations.
Workers used this time to build relationships and collaborate on problems.
Why It’s On This List: The coffee break became a sacred workplace ritual that companies actively promoted as good for business.
7. Water Cooler Conversations
Electric water coolers appeared in offices in 1938 and became central gathering spots.
Employees would chat with colleagues while filling their cups.
These conversations served as brief work breaks where people could disconnect from tasks.
The water cooler became vital for fostering camaraderie and building relationships.
It often sparked creativity and innovation through casual discussions.
These informal meetings were sometimes more productive than official conferences.
Why It’s On This List: The water cooler created a natural social hub that helped employees connect on a personal level throughout the workday.
8. Strict Dress Codes
Men wore suits and ties to work every single day.
Women donned dresses or skirts without exception.
Individuality was frowned upon in the 1970s office.
Everyone dressed impeccably to create an atmosphere of shared purpose.
The uniform appearance reflected collective pride that extended beyond vanity.
Looking professional meant rigid conformity to established standards.
Why It’s On This List: Dress codes were so strict that dressing incorrectly could mean being sent home for the day without pay.
9. Rigid Hierarchical Structures
Office culture in the 1970s was highly hierarchical.
Managers wielded significant authority over every decision.
Employees were expected to follow orders without question.
There was little room for collaboration or creative input from lower-level staff.
Everyone knew their place and stayed in it.
This hierarchy pervaded every moment of the working day.
Why It’s On This List: The command and control management style reflected deeply held beliefs about order, respect, and the proper functioning of organizations.
10. The Wild Holiday Party
Company Christmas parties in the 1970s were notorious for heavy drinking.
The festivities would start at 4:30 PM and run until 6:00 PM or later.
Some companies kicked off holiday parties at 11:00 AM with an open bar.
By the time lunch was served at 1:00 PM, most attendees were quite inebriated.
Dance bands would start performing around 2:00 PM.
Spouses were often not permitted to attend these company-only celebrations.
Why It’s On This List: Holiday parties embodied a wild, old-school culture where drinking and unruly behavior were expected rather than discouraged.
11. Secretary’s Day Celebrations
Companies made a big deal out of National Secretaries Week in the 1970s.
Bosses would take their secretaries out for lunch at nice restaurants.
Some offices held special recognition ceremonies with flowers and gifts.
The tradition acknowledged the vital role secretaries played in keeping businesses running.
Many offices had cake and small parties to honor their support staff.
It was one of the few times when appreciation was formally expressed.
Why It’s On This List: This tradition reflected the distinct separation between secretarial and executive roles that defined 1970s office culture.
12. The Suggestion Box
Physical suggestion boxes hung on walls in break rooms and hallways.
Employees could anonymously submit ideas for improving the workplace.
Management would review suggestions monthly and sometimes implement them.
Some companies offered small cash rewards for adopted ideas.
The box represented one of the few ways lower-level employees could voice opinions.
Workers took pride in seeing their suggestions actually used.
Why It’s On This List: The suggestion box was a primitive but genuine attempt at employee engagement before modern feedback systems existed.
13. Company Picnics
Annual summer picnics brought entire companies together with families.
These events featured softball games, three-legged races, and egg tosses.
Companies would rent out entire parks for the day.
Hot dogs, hamburgers, and potato salad were served buffet-style.
Employees who rarely interacted in the office would bond over games.
These picnics created a sense of belonging to something bigger than work.
Why It’s On This List: Company picnics embodied the paternalistic culture where employers took care of their workers like extended family.
14. The Office Birthday Cake
When someone had a birthday, the whole office would gather.
Someone would bake or buy a cake and bring it in.
Work would stop for 15 minutes while everyone sang and ate.
The birthday person got cards signed by every department member.
These celebrations happened in conference rooms or break areas.
Missing someone’s birthday celebration was considered rude.
Why It’s On This List: Birthday cakes created regular opportunities for coworkers to connect personally and celebrate each other beyond work tasks.
15. Punch Card Time Clocks
Workers lined up to punch their time cards at the start and end of shifts.
The mechanical clocks stamped the exact time on thick cardboard cards.
Being late meant everyone could see your tardy punch on the card.
Supervisors would review the cards weekly to track attendance.
The satisfying thunk of the punch became part of daily routine.
Some workers tried creative ways to have friends punch them in early.
Why It’s On This List: The punch clock represented an era when trust was low and physical proof of attendance was required from hourly workers.
16. Friday Afternoon Wind Down
Productivity dropped noticeably after 3:00 PM on Fridays.
Some offices had informal happy hours that started before 5:00 PM.
Managers would turn a blind eye to the early celebration.
People would gather in someone’s office to share drinks.
The weekend celebration was an unspoken tradition everyone understood.
Work from Friday afternoon was often saved for Monday morning.
Why It’s On This List: The Friday wind down showed how workplace boundaries between professional and social life were much more relaxed.
17. Company Newsletters
Monthly printed newsletters announced promotions, marriages, and births.
Someone had to physically type, print, and distribute copies to everyone.
The newsletters featured photos from company events and employee spotlights.
Reading the newsletter was how you learned office gossip officially.
Some companies included recipes, jokes, and personal interest stories.
Employees actually looked forward to receiving their copy.
Why It’s On This List: Company newsletters built community and kept everyone informed before email and intranets made communication instant.
18. The Coffee Cart
In larger offices, someone would wheel a cart through the halls.
The cart sold coffee, tea, sodas, and snacks mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
Workers would hear it coming and prepare their change.
The coffee cart lady knew everyone’s usual order by heart.
These visits provided short breaks and chances to chat with the vendor.
Some offices had external vendors who came in daily.
Why It’s On This List: The coffee cart created scheduled social moments and personal connections in an era before vending machines dominated.
19. Long Service Awards
Companies held formal ceremonies for 5, 10, 15, and 20-year anniversaries.
Employees received engraved plaques, pins, or certificates.
The ceremonies happened during work hours with everyone attending.
Speeches highlighted the employee’s contributions and dedication.
Photos of award recipients were displayed in hallways.
These awards motivated others to stay with the company long-term.
Why It’s On This List: Long service awards reinforced company loyalty during an era when staying at one job for decades was the norm and expectation.
20. The Steno Pad
Secretaries carried spiral-bound steno pads everywhere.
They used shorthand to rapidly record everything their boss said.
The distinctive green-and-white lined paper became synonymous with office work.
Stenographers developed their own personal shorthand systems over time.
Later, they would transcribe these notes into formal typed documents.
Learning shorthand was considered an essential secretarial skill.
Why It’s On This List: The steno pad represented specialized skills that made secretaries indispensable before recording devices changed everything.