The injury rate in manufacturing has fallen from 153 per thousand in 1973 to 80 in 1999, and from 198 to 84 in construction. And in those industries that were already relatively safe, the safety rate has generally gotten better still. For example, the injury rate among those in finance, insurance and real estate fell from 24 per thousand to 16 between 1973 and 1999. Declining injury rates, of course, are just one measure of the improvement in the workplace environment. The Dallas Fed report cites data showing a decline in stress in almost every industry except mining since 1993.
Telecommuting is increasingly available, so that many workers never even have to leave their homes.
Within the workplace itself, the overall work environment continues to improve. Casual dress is now the norm in many businesses, which improves comfort and saves money for many workers that would otherwise be spent on suits, ties and pantyhose. Companies are also improving benefits and workplace amenities, such as day care. They do so not out of the goodness of their hearts, but because they cannot recruit and retain good workers without them. The report concludes that the vast improvement in working conditions has been brought about not because of unions or government regulations, but because the market demanded it and made it possible.