Shaping the Future Organization of Work and Life

The present chapter outlines the future organization of the work and life of highly skilled workers, covering the importance of a work-life balance, the organization of work and the concept of democratic organization. The central questions pursued in this chapter are why a work-life balance is becoming an increasingly important factor for highly skilled workers, how work is organized in modern-day organizations and how a work-life balance, the flexibility of work and the idea of democratic organizations are related to each other. The results show that a work-life balance and work flexibility are increasingly valued by future talents when evaluating job opportunities. While workplace flexibility can negatively impact the work-life balance, these negative impacts can largely be absorbed in democratically structured organizations. Based on this analysis, we conclude that the topics analyzed in this chapter should be taken into account by companies competing for highly qualified workers.