The Effect of Occupational Growth on Labor Force Task Characteristics

This article examines how changes from 1950 through 1990 in the relative size of 495 detailed occupations have altered the frequency with which certain kinds of tasks are encountered by members of the labor force. Shifts in the distribution of employment across occupations in the post-World War II era in the United States have resulted in increased likelihood that workers will encounter tasks characterized by high levels of substantive complexity and social interaction but decreased likelihood that their jobs will require fine motor skills, gross motor skills, or be performed in harsh climatic conditions. The results also indicate that labor force jobs have become polarized on the need for fine motor skills and on the level of social interaction but not on the other 3 task characteristics. Explanations for these shifts in occupational employment are sought in theories emphasizing the role of technology, market competition, and the relative power of groups within the labor force.