Unemployment Is Not the Real Problem

Unemployment Is Not the Real Problem: Rethinking Work for the 21st Century

Modern economies face a strange paradox: the more efficient we become, the less human labour we actually need to sustain our way of life. Technological advances, automation, and better organisation mean that fewer workers can produce more goods and services than ever before. And yet, we still cling to long working hours as if our survival depended on them.

If 50 people working full-time can produce enough for 100, why do we insist that the other 50 must remain unemployed (or struggle for survival) rather than sharing the work and its rewards? Why not let all 100 work fewer hours and still meet everyone’s needs?

A common objection is that reducing working hours will harm productivity. But global studies, from New Zealand to Iceland, consistently show the opposite: shorter workweeks often improve productivity per hour, reduce absenteeism, and increase employee engagement. The problem is not that people won’t work; it’s that our systems are designed to overwork some while excluding others entirely.

Scripture recognises that work naturally comes in seasons. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens” (Ecclesiastes 3:1). Ancient agricultural life followed a rhythm of intense labour during planting and harvest, and lighter work in between. This freed time for rest, worship, and preparation. In the same way, modern work could adapt to periods of high and low demand instead of enforcing a fixed, unchanging schedule year-round. The Bible also encourages continual learning and growth. Proverbs 22:29 praises those skilled in their work: “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” Lifelong skill development is a biblical principle that strengthens individuals and societies. Freeing time from overwork could allow people to learn, innovate, and serve their communities more effectively.

When work is concentrated in fewer hands, the result is twofold:

• Overwork leads to burnout, declining health, and reduced long-term efficiency.
• Underemployment wastes talent, erodes skills, and damages social cohesion.

In both cases, society loses. Not only economically, but also culturally and spiritually. People without meaningful work feel disconnected, while those with too much work have no time for family, worship, or community service.

The solution is to distribute necessary labour more evenly so that everyone can contribute without being overburdened.

That means:

The real barrier is not economic feasibility, it’s cultural. We have internalized the idea that survival must be “earned” through constant toil, even when technology has made much of that toil unnecessary.

If we can accept that the goal of work is to meet human needs, not to keep people busy. We can still design systems where everyone works less, lives better, and still produces enough for all. It’s time to stop treating unemployment as the disease and overwork as the cure. The real cure is fairness in how we share the work of sustaining society.

Credits: Inspired by “Unemployment is not the problem” by Hugo, published 27 March 2025 on whynothugo.nl.

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