Cards on Cords

摘要

The lanyard is a singular object. It is unique among workwear items in that it's worn by the skilled and the unskilled alike, by the long-term staffer and the casually employed, by men and women, by youths and veterans. It operates across hierarchies in a manner matched only by the smartphone. The practice of requiring employees to show ID on a regular basis started in the 1990s, gathered pace in the 2000s, and has become nearly ubiquitous in the last decade. While enforced lanyard wearing was initially a response to security fears, the general acceptance of the all-hours display of identity parallels the widespread use of social media. Millennials now at the beginning of their working lives have likely been wearing lanyards since leaving school. They would feel naked without them.