By rewarding conformity in school, homes and work, we were reinforcing unquestioning obedience to authority. Dress and do as you are told. You were paid to follow orders, not to think. That was done by those above you. To reinforce this, titles were used for those above but not for those below.
Perks reinforce unquestioning obedience and conformity.
The implied message is, be loyal and put in your time without complaining and you will have your day to be boss. Yet no longer is that acceptable to new generations of workers and generational change is far too slow to stay competitive in today's fast-paced market. Not at all. For example, controlling information was seen as a form of power and advantage in the past. All the details and data went up the chain of command and only those at the very top had all the pieces to the puzzle.