A NEW report paints a gloomy picture of the workplace in the early 21st century.
It will see greater emphasis on people, but fewer jobs, more regulation and still longer working hours. In the North-west, the decline in the size of the workforce is forecast to be steeper than elsewhere in the country.
The survey, based on the opinions of 900 chartered accountants, was carried out by MORI on behalf of Chartered Accountants in Business. Norman Bolton, President of the North West Society of Chartered Accountants, said many firms had benefited from committed and imaginative investments in human resources, but warned that a "caring and sharing" ethos would not apply to the whole workforce.
He said: "Many large American companies now define three categories of worker -- management, key workers and 'just-in-timers'.
"This practice is gaining a foothold in the United Kingdom. It reflects a growing emphasis on hiring the right skills at the right time rather than concern about social issues."
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