Work in the Postindustrial Economy of California

Using the new estimates available in the CWS, we find that there are good opportunities for income and satisfying work at the top of the occupational and skill distributions but few such opportunities at the bottom. Managers and professionals in California are doing extraordinarily well when it comes to opportunities to earn income. But they are also facing new challenges in their jobs. Many of them report working long hours and being tied to their cell phones and pagers after hours. Most managers and professionals like their work and workplaces, but many are also having difficulties finding time for both work and family. Some also report being under pressure to work long hours because of tight deadlines and not having enough time to do all their work.