Cost-cutting lay-offs in the 1980s reduced the professional and managerial ranks, leaving fewer people to get the job done. In lower paid occupations where wages have been reduced, workers have added hours in overtime or extra jobs to preserve their living standard. The government estimates that more than 7 million people hold a second job. For the first time, large numbers of people say they want to cut back on working hours even if it means earning less money. But most employers are unwilling to let them do so. The government, which has stepped back from its traditional role as a regulator of work time should take steps to make shorter hours possible.