Revisiting Keynes’ Predictions About Work and Leisure:
A Discussion of Fundamental Questions About the Nature of Modern Work

Seth A. Kaplan, John A. Aitken, Blake A. Allan, George M. Alliger, Timothy Ballard, and Hannes Zacher

Abstract

Nearly 100 years ago, economist John Maynard Keynes predicted that, by today, technological advancements would allow the workweek to dwindle to just 15 hours, or 3 hours per day, and that the real problem of humanity would be filling their time with leisure. Although much has changed in the world of work since this prediction, such a drastic change has not taken place. In this article, several industrial-organizational psychology scholars discuss why this is the case. Why do we continue to work as much as we do, and how might that change? More fundamentally, what do these trends, contra Keynes’ prediction, tell us about the nature of work itself? We use this discussion to propose several research directions regarding the nature of work and how it might change in the future. We depict the phenomenon of working hours as multilevel in nature, and we consider both the positive and negative possible implications of working less than we do now.  

Keywords: work hours; nature of work; future of work; meaning of work; automation

Workplace Learning and the Future of Work 

Margaret E. Beier, Mahima Saxena, Kurt Kraiger, David P. Costanza, Cort W. Rudolph, David M. Cadiz, Gretchen (Gigi) Petery, and Gwenith G. Fisher

Abstract

Global disruption, technological advances, and population demographics are rapidly affecting the types of jobs that are available and the workers who will fill those jobs in the future of work. Successful workers in the dynamic and uncertain landscape of the workplace of the future will need to adapt rapidly to changing job demands, highlighting the necessity for lifelong learning and development. With few exceptions, I-O psychologists have tended to take an organization-centered perspective on training and development; a perspective that promotes worker development as a means to organizational success. Hence, we call for a broadening of this view to include a person-centered perspective on workplace learning focused on individual skill development. A person-centered perspective addresses lifelong learning and skill development for those already in the labor force, whether they are working within or outside of organizations (e.g., gig workers), or those looking for work. It includes the most vulnerable people currently working or seeking work.  We describe the factors affecting the future of work, the need to incorporate a person-centered perspective on work-related skill learning into I-O research and practice, and highlight several areas for future research and practice.

Keywords. Lifelong Learning; Development; Training; Changing Nature of Work