work vs employment

[Charles Brass]

Ray Harrell and Gail Stewart (at least) have expressed interest in another attempt to raise this issue.   Much of the traffic on this list, not surprisingly, concerns economics - since economics and employment are intimately related.  Even in the recent traffic it is clear that there is much about economics which is not unanimously accepted.  In fact, it seems to me that debate about the merits of various economic principles and proposals keeps most of our politicians, policy makers and media commentators (not to mention collaborators on this list) busy.   There do, however, seem to be some (pretty simple) economic issues about which almost everbody agrees - and one of them lead to the creation of this list.  Everyone agrees that there is something rotten about the 'present' of work and that some change is needed to create a better future for work.   Just what "some change" means has kept this list going for seven years or so.   There seems to be no doubt that economics plays some part in configuring a better future for work, but just what part is contentious not just on this list but everywhere.   Some of us have come to the conclusion, however, that whatever role economic understanding may play, it is relatively minor and of a short term nature only.  In my work in this area I have regularly heard one or more versions of the following five eonomic proposals for improving the future of work.  The observation of my own eyes over the past twenty years strongly suggests that none of these has a long term significant contribution to make.  Nonetheless, the lack of any certainty about economics provides fertile ground for those who believe in an economic solution to continue to try and modify these in some way or another to do the job.   The five conventional solutions to our present problems with work are:   . economic growth.  If countries will only increase the rate of economic growth the necessary jobs will be created  . international competitiveness.  Every country should find the niches in which it has a competitive advantage and become the best in the world in these . training and skills development.  Modern economies require highly skilled and trained employees, if there is a lack of success in a particular country it is because their employees aren't skilled enough . shorten the working week.  Average working hours for full time employees are increasing at the same time as unemployment is increasing.  Legislatively redistributing working hours is the solution . increase the scope of the economic marketplace.  Every industry which exists today has emerged when people have outsourced something they once did for themselves.  There is still about 35% of human activity which we do for ourselves.  If we outsourced this to the market we would create jobs for all those who want them.     Despite much effort on my part over eight years, I can't believe that any of these, or any combination of them, will make anything other than a short term difference.     The real problem seems to me to be more fundamental, and requires a shift in our understanding of how things get done in the world - and how we would like them to be done in the future.   There is no shortage of things to be done in the world (though there may be a shortage of jobs - which is only one way of packaging work which needs to be done).  There is also no shortage of people who say they want to do more than they are currently doing.  The challenge for the future is to bring those who want to do something together with that which needs to be done - something economics knows something about, but only at the margin.   Hence, my plea to think about the future of work, not the future of employment.  The five conventional solutions above are about the future of employment, and have nothing whatsoever to say about all the work which needs to be done which isn't conceived in economic terms (caring for people and the environment, prevention rather than cure, not to mention all the work involved in personal and community growth).   I won't go on, because I know many out there still either believe in the power of an economic solution, or believe that the alternative is too horrific to contemplate (ie too wet, messy and humanly subjective to ever be able to be used as the basis of a sustainable society).  Which is a pity really.......         Charles Brass Chairman Future of Work Foundation phone:61 3 9459 0244 fax: 61 3 9459 0344 PO Box 122 Fairfield    3078 www.fowf.com.au   the mission of the Future of Work Foundation is: "to engage all Australians in creating a better future for work"