20-Hour Workweek Is Near, Research Finds

20-Hour Workweek: “Digital free agency” will herald the end of the traditional 40-hour workweek as soon as 2015, cites a provocative new research report by Gartner Inc. The proliferation of technology-based knowledge work, coupled with the difficulty of finding adequate numbers of skilled professional staff, will shift the balance of organizational power away from corporations and toward individuals. “Retiring baby boomers, working-age mothers and Generation X workers are seeking better work/life balance to juggle personal, family and community responsibilities,” and traditional work structures are inhibiting people’s ability to achieve this, according to Stamford, Connecticut-based Gartner. By switching from 40 hours to a shorter schedule, the company argues, organizations will be better able to attract and retain qualified people.

—Garry Kranz