Client expectations have grown as technology has accelerated the transfer of information. Powerful voice mail leaves clients wondering why their calls aren't returned in minutes, he said. Documents can be received immediately via fax, or in minutes with e-mail, where it formerly took days with the U.S. Mail or overnight with Federal Express. People go on vacation and they're still at work. It has the potential to make people crazy.
Adaptation is a process that's under way.
Still, workers seem to be adapting, Kagan said. Companies are hiring talent regardless of geography, and project collaboration and client meetings can be conducted via intranets and the Web-based networking services. All of a sudden we are experiencing freedom on a scale never before imagined. We are no longer tied to our phones or desks to do business. It's the untethering of the American work force.