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

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What happened? I'm genuinely curious why it has fallen out of flavor across the country.

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I'm not sure it was ever as prevalent as depicted in movies way back in the day. I would say since at least the 70's in my experience it was considered at least odd-ish outside of the south. I can't recall a single business environment I've ever worked in where it was common practice. At my current shop, if the lowest guy on the totem pole said "yessir" to the highest guy, there would be lots of joking about it. It would just be bizarre.

I will also say another way I do find myself using it is instead of "what" or "excuse me" or "pardon me" when I haven't heard what an older person has said to me - like in a public situation I'll say, "sir?" to get him to repeat himself.

I think that underscores how it works better with strangers than with co-workers and/or "team members" as millenials insist on everything being now.