Unsplash/GettyThe modern workplace is packed with sleek devices and digital shortcuts, but go back to the 1960s, and you’ll find a very different landscape—one that was just starting to buzz with electric excitement. This was a decade of change, where bulky machines and punch cards were hailed as cutting-edge. Some of the inventions now seem quaint, but at the time, they represented the bleeding edge of business innovation. Here’s a look back at the office tech that once felt like it came straight from the future.
Electric typewriters that promised speed and precision
By the 1960s, the manual typewriter was being pushed aside by its sleeker cousin, the electric typewriter. These machines were a revelation. With a motor powering the keys, typists no longer needed to hammer each stroke. This meant less strain and far faster typing speeds, particularly in offices where speed equalled productivity.
IBM’s Selectric typewriter, introduced in 1961, took things a step further. It replaced traditional typebars with a rotating golf-ball-shaped element that could swiftly change fonts. Swapping out the type ball made it easy to customise documents in a way that felt almost magical at the time.
Pneumatic tubes that delivered messages at warp speed
Long before email, many large offices and government buildings used pneumatic tube systems to send messages and small parcels. These networks of pipes shot capsules through compressed air, whizzing across floors and departments in seconds.
It felt futuristic, like something from a spy film, and meant that memos, files, and even pay packets could be delivered without anyone leaving their desk. Though largely a relic now, some hospitals and banks still use updated versions of the system for rapid internal transfers.
Dictation machines that freed up the boss’s time
Rather than typing out everything themselves, managers could record their thoughts using a dictation machine. In the 1960s, reel-to-reel and cassette-based dictaphones became standard office fare. Bosses would speak into a microphone, and later, secretaries would transcribe the tape.
This gave executives more flexibility and was seen as a mark of status. Philips and IBM both made machines that were considered the height of efficiency. For secretaries, it meant their day often involved hours spent playing, pausing, and rewinding tape to capture every word.
Photocopiers that changed how offices worked
Before the 1960s, making a copy of a document meant using carbon paper or mimeograph machines, both messy and time-consuming. Then came the Xerox 914, the first plain paper photocopier, which launched in 1959 and gained real traction throughout the 1960s.
It was bulky and could catch fire if overused, but it absolutely transformed office life. Suddenly, any employee could copy documents quickly and easily, which revolutionised everything from record-keeping to internal communication. For many, this machine was the definition of progress.
Mainframe computers that took up entire rooms
The 1960s saw the rise of the mainframe, a hulking, room-sized computer that could handle payrolls, inventory, and accounting with what was then considered lightning speed. Though these machines cost a fortune and required teams of trained operators, they were a badge of honour for companies who could afford them.
IBM’s System/360, introduced in 1964, was one of the most influential, creating a standard that helped shape computing for decades. While far from personal or portable, these early giants laid the groundwork for everything that would come later.
Punch card systems that ran the show behind the scenes
Data input in the 1960s was often done using punch cards, which were rectangular pieces of paper with holes punched in precise patterns to represent information. Workers would type commands or data into machines that translated them into cards, which were then fed into computers.
It was a slow, mechanical process, but it was also a marvel of the era. You could store a whole database, or what passed for one, on stacks of these cards. Offices needed both technical know-how and an entire storage room just to handle them.
Telex machines that brought the world closer
In an era before fax machines and the internet, Telex allowed for near-instant written communication between offices across the globe. These machines were a cross between a typewriter and a telephone, and messages were sent via telegraph lines.
For businesses with international clients, Telex was a game-changer. It wasn’t uncommon for multinational firms to have entire departments dedicated to managing incoming and outgoing Telex messages, which were all meticulously logged and timestamped.
Slide rules and mechanical calculators that did the sums
Not every futuristic gadget was electric. In the early 1960s, engineers and finance teams still relied on slide rules, or manual devices that could perform complex calculations with surprising speed and accuracy. These were soon replaced by mechanical calculators, which were faster and didn’t require as much skill.
Brands like Friden and Monroe made machines that could add, subtract, multiply, and divide with the push of a few clunky buttons. They were noisy and heavy, but they brought a sense of tech-driven power to even the most mundane financial tasks.
Rotating filing systems that saved space and time
Storing paper efficiently was a big deal in pre-digital offices, and one solution that felt like something from a Bond film was the rotating filing system. Often motorised, these vertical carousels allowed staff to access dozens of file drawers from a single point by pressing a button to bring the correct drawer to eye level.
They were particularly popular in medical offices, government buildings, and law firms, where space was tight and speed mattered. Today they look retro, but in their time they were the future of filing. To the modern eye, much of this equipment looks bulky, awkward, and sometimes laughably complex. But at the time, these machines represented freedom, efficiency, and modernity. They paved the way for the sleek devices we now take for granted, and proved that even the most futuristic tools eventually become nostalgic footnotes in the history of work.
