From chain-smoking at your desk to spanking the neighbor's kids, the everyday behaviors that defined professional life in the 1980s would land you in handcuffs, unemployment lines, or divorce court faster than you can say "three-martini lunch."
Ever wonder what would happen if you transported your parents' workplace habits from the 1980s to today's office? Picture walking into a meeting with a cigarette, making jokes that would send HR into a tailspin, or having three martinis at lunch before driving back to work.
Sounds crazy, right?
But here's the thing: what we now consider completely unacceptable was just... Tuesday for many people in their thirties back in the boomer generation. Having witnessed the tail end of this era when I started as a junior analyst at 23, I saw remnants of these behaviors that were already starting to fade. The contrast between then and now is stark, and honestly, sometimes shocking.
Let's explore nine things that were totally normal for boomers in their 30s that would lead to serious consequences today.
1. Smoking everywhere (yes, even at your desk)
Can you imagine lighting up a cigarette during a Zoom call? Or walking through an office where half the cubicles have ashtrays next to the keyboards?
In the 1970s and 80s, this was standard. People smoked at their desks, in conference rooms, even in elevators. Flight attendants dealt with smoke-filled cabins. Teachers sometimes smoked in staff rooms between classes. The non-smokers? They just dealt with it.
Today, smoking within 25 feet of most buildings will get you a warning. Light up inside? That's grounds for immediate termination at most companies. The shift happened gradually, but looking back, the change is remarkable.
2. Driving after "liquid lunches"
The three-martini lunch wasn't just a Mad Men stereotype. It was real, and it was common. Business deals were sealed over multiple rounds of drinks at lunch, and then everyone drove back to the office.
A former colleague once told me about closing major deals in the 80s where declining a drink was seen as uptight or untrustworthy. The expectation was that you could "handle your liquor" and still function professionally.
Today? Show up to work noticeably intoxicated and you'll likely face suspension or firing. Get caught driving after those drinks? That's a DUI, possible jail time, and definitely a career setback. Companies now have strict policies about alcohol at work events, and "wine Wednesdays" in the office are heavily monitored, if they exist at all.
3. Making comments about women's appearances as "compliments"
"Hey sweetheart, looking good today!"
"That dress really shows off your figure."
"You should smile more."
These weren't considered harassment in the 1970s and 80s. They were viewed as compliments, even appropriate workplace banter. Male bosses commenting on female employees' looks was normalized, expected even.
Try that today? You're looking at a sexual harassment complaint, mandatory sensitivity training, possible termination, and potentially a lawsuit. What was once considered "harmless flirting" is now recognized as creating a hostile work environment.
4. Spanking other people's kids
Remember when the phrase "it takes a village" meant any adult could discipline any child? Boomers in their 30s thought nothing of a neighbor, teacher, or family friend giving their kid a swat on the behind for misbehaving.
Teachers had paddles. Principals administered corporal punishment. If your friend's mom spanked you for breaking something at her house, your parents would thank her and probably give you another one when you got home.
Today, lay a hand on someone else's child and you could face assault charges. Even in states where corporal punishment is still technically legal in schools, most districts have banned it entirely. Try it as a neighbor or family friend? You might find yourself in handcuffs.
5. Refusing to hire women for certain jobs
"We don't hire women for management positions because they'll just leave when they have babies."
"This job requires too much travel for a woman."
"Our clients prefer working with men."
These weren't whispered biases in the 1970s. They were stated company policies. Want to be a construction foreman, police officer, or executive while female? Good luck with that.
Make these statements in a hiring meeting today and you're looking at a discrimination lawsuit that could bankrupt a small company. The EEOC would be all over it, and rightfully so. What was once standard practice is now explicitly illegal.
6. Disciplining kids at school without parental consent
Teachers in the boomer era had incredible latitude. They could keep kids after school without calling parents, make them stand in corners for hours, or assign punishments like writing "I will not talk in class" 500 times.
One teacher I knew from that era told me she once made a student sit under her desk for an entire afternoon for talking back. Parents found out days later. Their response? "Good, he probably deserved it."
Try that today and you'll face furious parents, social media campaigns calling for your resignation, and possible legal action. Teachers now need documented behavior plans, parental involvement, and administrative approval for most disciplinary actions.
7. Sharing hotel rooms with colleagues of the opposite sex
Budget constraints in the 1980s meant coworkers often shared hotel rooms at conferences, regardless of gender. It was considered practical, not problematic.
A mentor once told me about a business trip in 1982 where she shared a room with her male colleague for a week-long conference. They requested twin beds, hung a sheet between them for privacy, and that was that. Nobody thought twice about it.
Today? Most companies have strict policies against this. The liability issues alone make HR departments break out in hives. Even suggesting it could be seen as sexual harassment. Companies would rather eat the extra hotel costs than risk a lawsuit.
8. Taking kids on errands and leaving them in the car
"I'll just be five minutes" was the motto of every parent running into the store in the 1980s. Kids waited in cars routinely, sometimes for half an hour or more. Windows cracked, radio on, no big deal.
Parents would leave kids in running cars while they ran into the bank. Children as young as five or six would be told to "watch your little brother" while mom did the grocery shopping.
Do this today? Someone's calling 911 before you reach the store entrance. You could face child endangerment charges, have your kids taken by child protective services, and become the subject of a viral video showing what a terrible parent you are. Some states have made it explicitly illegal to leave children under certain ages in vehicles for any amount of time.
9. Using racial and ethnic humor as icebreakers
Polish jokes, Irish drinking stereotypes, impressions of different accents for laughs. In the boomer generation's 30s, these were considered harmless fun, even appropriate for breaking tension in meetings.
I heard stories from older colleagues about company parties where executives would do comedy routines full of ethnic stereotypes, and everyone was expected to laugh along. Not laughing meant you couldn't take a joke.
Today, this behavior would result in immediate consequences. Best case scenario? Mandatory diversity training and a final warning. More likely? Termination, especially if you're in any leadership position. Your comedy routine would probably end up on social media, making you unemployable in your industry.
Final thoughts
Looking at this list, you might think we've become overly sensitive or that cancel culture has gone too far. But here's another perspective: we've evolved. We've recognized that many behaviors we once considered harmless actually caused real harm to real people.
Sure, some might argue we've swung too far in the opposite direction in certain areas. But would you really want to go back to a time when your career could be limited by your gender? When your kids' safety was an afterthought? When showing up drunk to work was just part of doing business?
Change can feel extreme when you're living through it, but most of these shifts have made our workplaces safer, more inclusive, and frankly, more professional. Sometimes it takes looking back to appreciate how far we've come.
The next time you hear someone pine for the "good old days" when people weren't so sensitive, maybe share this list with them. Those days might have been simpler in some ways, but they definitely weren't better for everyone.
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