What were the rules when you started work?

[QuickGuide]

I worked in a bank from 1988. For men shirts must always be white, socks must never be white. For women, no open toed shoes and tights at all times.

But you were allowed to smoke at the counter whilst serving customers 😆

But you were allowed to smoke at the counter whilst serving customers

😂

Late 90s, retail - females had to wear make up, a skirt,heels and American tan tights.

First job in late 80s at a GP surgery (office junior). I was told that the female head partner hated staff in trousers so we all wore skirts or dresses. She looked like the short version of Margaret Thatcher (think 'set' hair and boxy suits with pussy bow blouses).

All the managers were addressed as Mr.... by staff, no first names.

2004 and we had a smoking room in our public sector building. It still smells of smoke 20 years later.

Early 80s. Always American tan tights and court shoes. Skirt had to be knee length with the guidance that if you kneel it touched the floor, no more no less. No trousers. Collared blouses and ALWAYS with a jacket.

Smoking allowed at desks. Would have to change all my clothes as soon as I got home because of the stink.

Everyone referred to by surname. If there were two Miss Smiths in the department the newest recruit had to choose another name.

Lots of overt bullying that wouldn't be tolerated now.

1996 uniform Girls was black skirt (trousers not allowed),white shirt, waistcoat and bow tie. Men were the same but wore trousers.

Sorry I should have said women not girls, I was sort of thinking about my own age when I started there.

I think it was around 2004/2005. I worked in the Bear Factory. The rule was, the youngest or smallest had to wear the bear suit and do the kids' parties. That was usually me. The outfit never got washed and absolutely stunk of BO inside.

1980 - hospital doctor. Staff smoked in all the coffee rooms, the place stank. There was an on site pub in the medical centre for on call staff (!). Drug reps brought wine and food for lunchtime presentations to us.
Staff were v formal - we were all Dr Surname and the nurses were Sister or Nurse Surname. Surgeons were often still called Sir. White coats were mandatory on the wards, and scrubs/gowns/masks in theatre.

I worked in a bank in the early 80s your manager got a copy of your bank statement to check you were managing your money, preferential mortgages were a bargain at 5% but if you wanted to share that mortgage you needed to be married. Apparently you needed the banks permission to marry in the past!

80's retail Saturday job in Mothercare. High heels, full make-up.

I started in a bank in 1987, everyone was scared of the Dragon (supervisor) and it was incredibly sexist with only young women employed to be cashiers and do the back office work. It was mainly manual coding of cheques which meant speed inputting of numbers with 100% accuracy or you were shouted at. I was 18 and the rules & regulations were far worse that at school, it was awful, I managed a year. You were only allowed to hold bank accounts at the branch you worked at, nowhere else, and yes they did check your banking records, and pull you up. Data Protection anyone?

I moved into the SME corporate world after that and it was so much more relaxed.

As a teacher in 1993 we had a smoking staff room.

Early 80s, legal department of a bank. No coloured tights, no open toed shoes, dresses and skirts preferred. Smoking at desks allowed, drinking at lunchtime was the norm. It was preferred if you lived within a 5-10 mile radius and something would be said if you, as junior staff, purchased a property that wasn’t deemed “suitable” using your hefty bank discounted mortgage.

Love this thread! Started in a news room in 1991.. thick smoke, ashtrays overflowing next to piles of faxes! One computer between 3 of us. Actively encouraged to make up expense claims to top up shit salary.

Oh yes, there was all sorts of etiquette about not having a better house or car than your manager.

And yes @Onthegrid same with the bank accounts. Had to have a staff account with the branch at HQ where we worked and forbidden to bank elsewhere. I’d forgotten about that!

And the liquid lunch was practically compulsory, it would have been considered very poor form not to attend or to attend and not have a drink.

I started work as an engineer in 1987. My manager had a desk against the wall running the entire length of his office and there were porn pictures all the way along it. I didn't remember that during my interview. My colleagues next door had porn up in their office and a life size naked lady on the window that was half the wall of my office. Unfortunately there was another naked lady on the back so she showed up in my office. One of my colleagues in the porn suite hated Garfield so I bought a Garfield with suckers on its paws and stuck it to the window as revenge.

Alcohol was also served at meeting buffets until the police at one site set up a drink drive checkpoint meant to catch people leaving the pub up the street. Instead they were catching people leaving work. Alcohol was banned after that.

Finance professional in the mid 90s. Women were not allowed to wear trousers and in the first week all female trainees were required to attend training on 'Office attire'. This included being shown photographs of women in with/without make-up, and in different types of clothing so that we could agree which gave a more professional impression (spoiler alert- the correct answer was heels, suit or fitted dress with a jacket and make-up). We also all had to empty our handbags on the desk at one point as part of a session on what we should carry as a professional woman (ans= comb, pack of tissues, lipstick, san-pro in a small tin, small purse and a small mirror). No such training for the men.

Also, managers each had their own office and many were a fug of smoke. Every year the male staff had an unofficial vote on which woman had the best legs in the office and the winner was announced on the company notice board.

Yes to bank etiquette, when we bought our first home DH not allowed a bank mortgage as under 23, we'll it was the 70s. Then we wanted to buy a detached house, not allowed as better than managers so had to dump our bank mortgage which we'd got with our second purchase. Women weren't allowed bank mortgages and when they we in the 80s the rate went up to compensate!
I wasn't allowed to wear trousers. When I became a manager I decided to put a stop to smoking and coffee in the public area. I wasn't popular.

When I first started working in an NHS community health team in the early noughties the lunchtime pint was still very much a thing. Same in H’s civil service job. This was with the full knowledge of management, who would often get a round in. Occasionally someone would find that a second pint was a step too far that early in the day and we’d all help cover their after lunch appointments. My younger colleagues are horrified when I tell them.

Ooh.

Started office work in 1986. No bare legs allowed.

Used to smoke at our desks, make personal calls for ages.

The more outgoing staff members would think nothing of booking a stripper-gram (sp?) or kissogram for work birthday drinks or leaving do.

In 1974 in my 1st job in a factory you were not allow to wear trousers and you could only wear rollers in your hair by special permission on a Friday 😂😂