The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future

SIGNAL 20. A shorter work week and the life-work balance 

Technological advancements together with demographic, economic and cultural factors will enable revolutionary shifts from traditional to new models of what constitutes ‘work’ and ‘a job’. In a short-term perspective, the trend is being driven by stand-alone examples: for companies in Japan, establishing flexible work-style models is seen as one of the key areas to apply digital innovation in order to create new opportunities to recruit people who could not or would not work under less flexible conditions [92]; and the Government of New Zealand is considering a four-day work week as a way to address work-life balance issues and boost local tourism in the post-COVID period.

While not yet commonly adopted, effective applications of concepts such as the shorter work week and flexible working hours will accelerate their normalization and show their practical viability.

In the middle and long term, the changes will be pushed by trends such as productivity boosts and increased demand for high cognitive, social and emotional skills as a result of large-scale automation. Due to the increased importance of creative skill sets, employee satisfaction and well-being will be critical elements of overall efficiency. In addition, productivity gains from outsourcing repetitive and physically demanding tasks to computer systems and robots will pave the way for new productivity models centred around individuality and skills in creative and emotional expression.

Flexible work models may fundamentally change the perception of work. Employees may be able to see their work as a series of sprints rather than a long marathon, integrate their work duties with their hobbies, and enjoy unlimited vacation days, etc. Individual needs are very diverse, and some people may still prefer traditional work models. But the underlying principle guiding employers can make room for workers to plan the schedule that will support their optimum productivity.

Yet, flexible work is a double-edged sword, which, in a wrong set-up, can be harmful to general employee well-being. Flexible schedules may also lead to an increase in work spillover and intensity; much depends on the underlying conditions. Whether macro- and micro-level performance goals are a direct function of employee well-being will define the weights in the work-life (or rather, the life-work) balance.

Check out the next signal, #21: Flexibility in working arrangements.

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The Changing Nature of Work: 30 signals to consider for a sustainable future

Work helps sustain livelihoods and largely determines the quality of life. Its changing nature is at the frontier of development. This report is the result of a broad horizon scanning by six UNDP Accelerator Labs across Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States.  They reveal 30 signals that shape the “where, who, how, and why” of the changing nature of work. From the impact of COVID-19 on the workforce to new work models and entrepreneurial ecosystems, the authors explore opportunities and threats, as well as solutions from local contexts that can be scaled up into positive answers to the challenges people around the world are facing.  Download the full report here.