Corporate norms evolve over time; sometimes, these norms are beneficial for workers’ overall well-being, and sometimes, they are detrimental. In general, though, the driving force behind such shifts is the best interest of the companies employing these workers. For example, until fairly recently, putting in long hours at the office was the norm, and those who were willing to burn the midnight oil were seen as dedicated and valued employees. Of course, this wasn’t great for employees and their personal lives, but it was seen as beneficial to corporations that expected to gain more productivity from their workers.
