Summary: A highly publicized 1987 report entitled Workforce 2000: Work and Workers for the 21st Century issued dire warnings for the nation's employers in the next century, highlighting tight labor markets, mismatches between job requirements and workers' skills, and dramatic demographic changes. A companion report made similar predictions for the federal government. In examining the reports' implications for federal policymakers and workforce planners, GAO found that labor economists and other experts disagree that labor shortages and skill gaps are likely by the year 2000. Experts generally agree, however, that the demographic composition of the labor force has changed and will continue to do so in the future. While many of these workforce changes and conditions seem to be more prevalent in the federal workforce, federal workforce planners should not assume that labor shortages and skill gaps are a given. GAO believes that changes in the number of women, minorities, and older workers in the federal government can be addressed through a variety of human resources programs, such as child care, flexible work schedules, and diversity training.
