Can a 20-80 World Work?

Those who have worked in a volunteer organization probably have witnessed that it’s a small percentage of people who do the bulk of the work. They open the doors, turn on the heat, brew the coffee, set up the chairs, etc., etc. I’m guessing, but 20-80 seems close enough. If we’re part of the 20, doing the work is rewarding. But we might have moments where we see the 80% as entitled or unappreciative. But because we believe, we grin and bear it and soldier on.  

One might extend this to say that the ratio also applies to paid work. I’ve played with these ideas before in a workforce of the future breakdown: Warriors, Giggers, and Bots. In most organizations, there is a committed core of warriors who deeply believe in the organization that really make it go, assisted by the giggers who do the minimum required and the bots who will be doing more in the future. 

Okay, where is this going?  Post-work.

Previously I have asked us to list 10 things we would do if we didn’t have to work.

I also asked how much sacrifice we might be willing to make in terms of standard of living. [Note: I asked it in the context of environmental footprint to get an idea of how much sacrifice we’d be willing to make to standard of living, but whether that applies to redistribution of wealth in a post-work world seems like an assumption to challenge – but some other time!]

The 20-80 is similar to the lazy socialists fear – people will just sit around and do nothing. It’s different in that it is not the obvious free ride of laying on the couch and not do a thing. It’s more subtle. It’s about those who do participate but are just along for the ride. Can a post-work world operate with a 20-80 ratio? Someone still has to pave the roads, teach the classes, harvest the food?

Keep in mind that it’s already the model to a degree. I recall many years ago that Alexander King of the Club of Rome has suggested we only needed 15% of people to do the work, so-to-speak. We’ll have the bots to help. But will the 20 get fed up and stop? They haven’t so far. We might also hope that a values shift will grow the 20, but let’s leave that for another time.

I’m not suggesting this is a fair or desirable approach. As I’ve been thinking about post-work, I’m trying to consider all the objections and reasons why it might not work and see if we have any dealbreakers. I don’t see this as a dealbreaker. Do you? – Andy Hines

PS: Credit to futurist Mina McBride for raising the initial 20-80 question!