Technology and automation has led to much greater efficiencies and output for every human in the workforce over the last 50 years. How come this hasn’t led globally to less working hours or a shorter work week for the average worker?

Question

EDIT: Replace ‘every human in the workforce’ with ‘most people’. I agree efficiency has not been gained equally across all professions.

In: Economics

Answer 1

Globally we are not there.

While automation can lead to more efficiencies it doesn’t mean there’s less work to go around. In most cases it just makes the human more efficient allowing them to do more with their time and at the same time employers can hire fewer workers working the same hours to do a particular job.