re: Do you use sir and ma'am with older coworkers?

I don't generally use it in a professional setting. I might have when I was a "kid" (i.e. in college or younger), but not since I have been a professional. I think it is a little odd for an adult to use it with someone they know and work with unless there was a huge age difference like 30 or more years. So if someone is my parents age or younger I tend to think of them as a peer and not use it, if someone is my grandparent's age I might use it.

But I do use it sometimes with adults that I do not know, especially if they are older. I think it is a nice holdover from a time with somewhat better manners than we have now.