What are the forces that will continue to shape the US workforce and workplace over the next 10 to 15 years? With its eye on forming sound policy and helping stakeholders in the private and public sectors make informed decisions, the US Department of Labor asked RAND to look at the future of work. The authors analyze trends in and the implications of shifting demographic patterns, the pace of technological change, and the path of economic globalization. If you are presently underemployed or deeply interested, it is worth spending the time to read the full 304 page report. You can also check out the research brief on the same topic; here's the abstract for the brief: Trends in workforce size and composition and in the pace of technological change and economic globalization will have implications for the future of work. Employees will work in more decentralized, specialized firms; slower labor growth will encourage employers to recruit groups with relatively low labor force participation; greater emphasis will be placed on retraining and lifelong learning; and future productivity growth will support higher wages and may affect the wage distribution. Given this, some policies may need to be reexamined. I recommend reading the summary, which consists of approximately 30 pages at the beginning of the full report. The 21st Century at Work | 
