There was a time in business where your word mattered.
You rang people back. You turned up when you said you would. You worked hard because you took pride in what you did. You built relationships, not just transactions.
We didn't do business through a screen.
And no, it wasn’t perfect back then either before everyone jumps on that part. There were bad bosses, bad businesses and people taken advantage of. Things were sorted by talking it through (maybe the odd heated debate). But there was also something else that seems to have disappeared over time:
A sense that everyone was pulling in the same direction.
Lately I’ve had some really interesting conversations with another business owner about how much the working world has changed.... and not always for the better.
People don’t seem as invested anymore.
Employees often feel unappreciated, overworked and disposable.....and this buzzword 'Burnt out'. Employers feel unsupported, squeezed from every angle and frustrated that nobody seems willing to go the extra mile anymore, that everything is their responsibility.
Somewhere along the line, the “we’re all in this together” mentality got replaced with: “What do I need to do today to make sure I don’t lose my job?”
And honestly? You can see it everywhere.
Emails unanswered for days.
People not getting back to you.
No urgency.
No ownership.
Clock watching.
“Not my job.”
“Above my pay grade.”
Managers who avoid difficult conversations. Businesses with no structure but wondering why profits are dropping. Staff 'switched off' but staying because bills need paying. Owners exhausted because they feel nobody cares as much as they do.
At the same time, businesses are under pressure like they never have been.
Costs have skyrocketed.
Margins are tighter.
Customers want more for less.
Competition is brutal.
There’s less loyalty all round.
People move jobs quicker.
Relationships have become transactional.
And many leaders are still trying to run businesses with the mindset of: “Well we used to make good money doing it this way…”
But the world has changed.
The workforce has changed too.
Years ago, many people genuinely felt proud to be part of a business, regarded it as their family. You knew the suppliers. You knew the reps (you can't even have the odd bottle of perfume or pizza for the team now) You stayed late because everyone else stayed late. You wanted the place to succeed because it felt like part of your identity too.
Now it feels more like: “You pay me. I do my hours. End of.”
And equally some employers have become: “How little can we get away with paying while expecting more?”....devices making it possible for accessibility at all times.
Trust has slowly eroded from both sides.
What’s interesting is that there also seems to be a huge rise lately in people sharing memories online from the 80s and 90s.
Old toys.
Old workplaces.
Old pubs and clubs.
Old adverts.
Old cars.
Old school photos.
Old routines and ways of life.
And the comments underneath are always full of people saying: “Life was better.” “People appreciated things more.” “Everyone looked out for each other.” “We had less but enjoyed more.” “People actually talked back then.”
Is that just coincidence? Or are people genuinely missing something deeper that’s disappeared from modern life and work?
Not technology.
Not progress.
But connection.
Community.
Belonging.
Pride.
Reliability.
Purpose.
The irony is, I think what people are actually craving now is exactly what’s gone missing:
Good leadership.
Clear communication.
Responsiveness.
Feeling valued.
Feeling part of something.
Standards.
Pride.
Accountability.
Belonging.
.....and we laughed...... a lot. We did daft things without the repurcussions of H&S, disciplinaries....lot's of stories to be told.
Not forced “team culture” or corporate buzzwords. Real culture.
The kind where people look out for each other. Where owners appreciate staff. Where staff care about the business. Where people communicate properly. Where effort still means something.
Maybe that’s why so many people say they wish they could go back to the 80s or earlier times.
Not because they want to lose technology or progress……but because they miss the people side of life and work.
The connection.
The community.
The pride.
The reliability.
The feeling that people meant what they said.
.......the stories.
I’d genuinely be interested to hear other people’s thoughts on this.
Is this just nostalgia talking?
Or has something fundamentally changed in business and working culture?
