Characteristics of the changing American workforce and work/life benefits have been widely discussed. Projections suggest that coming decades will bring more women, older workers, temporary employees, minorities, and immigrants into positions in both the public and private sectors. The rise in dual-career couples and nontraditional families, along with the need to consider both work and caregiving for dependent children and elderly parents, adds to the stress of home and career. As the workforce grows more diverse, pressures will intensify for policies that address the special needs of these employees.

Thus, employer assistance in meeting child care and elder care responsibilities will be priority concerns for members of the sandwich generation (those with responsibilities for both children and elderly parents), as will flextime and parental leave programs. Alternative work arrangements and cafeteria-style benefit plans (which allow workers to choose among benefits to best suit their needs) will appeal to employees who seek a better balance between job and home life and whose benefit preferences may change over the life cycle of their employment.

These trends will come up against countervailing pressures in the workplace. There is a need for organizations to consider adopting employee-friendly policies to attract and retain staff. This will help public employers remain competitive with private employers, who may offer a variety of workplace alternatives. To the extent that jurisdictions continue to face resource scarcity, competition, and taxpayer demands that they be lean, mean, and productive, they will avoid expenditures on all but the most essential programs. Indeed, as public organizations are becoming flatter, more nimble, and more automated, they are simultaneously downsizing as well as increasing use of temporary workers and contractors.

Public officials and managers need to respond to these competing, often contradictory demands of the workforce and workplace in crafting policies.