The future of work and work-life balance 2025

This paper explores the concept of the future of work and identifies some of the challenges that Europe will increasingly face in regards to economic, social and demographic changes. We argue that workers will find themselves in an age of transition driven by new technological opportunities and the feminization of the labor force. The consequences of these changes will affect the organization of future work and the concept of the work-life balance. Special attention is given to the Scandinavian models and cases, as the welfare states of the north are often regarded as being on the forefront concerning the work-life balance. We will demonstrate how aging is affecting Denmark and purport that the Scandinavian model will face significant challenges. We describe the components of work-life balance and present alternative fictionalized scenarios for future work that highlight the interplay between macroeconomics and the work-life balance.

► The future of work-life balance in Europe depends on the state of the economy.
► It's intrinsically intertwined with how the welfare issues in general are handled.
► The often cited best practice of Scandinavia, should not be taken for granted.
► Our understanding of work-life balance will change.
► Work-life balance is increasingly about managing self-motivation.