Working time: Tendencies and emerging issues

The organization of working time has changed considerably over the past 20 years, as new forms gain ground, working hours are reduced or extended, and more flexible approaches are adopted. Thus, it is no longer clear whether traditional units of measurement (daily/weekly working time - the basis of several ILO Conventions) reflect actual working time. This article examines some of these issues, starting with an outline of relevant ILO standards, then reporting on major changes and the forces driving them, outlining cond itions in which working-time reductions are likely to affect employment pos itively and concluding with suggested topics for further analysis.