KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- What's ahead for the workplace this year?

My crystal ball is only as good as the ones used by the experts, the so-called experts, and the John and Jane Does who communicate with me.

Based on that entirely unscientific roundup, here are some sure and not-so-sure bets for 2008:

• Expect any substantive workplace regulatory changes to be put on hold pending the outcome of the presidential election. But, if and when a Democrat takes the White House, expect to see the Employee Free Choice Act, which would allow employees to form unions when a majority signed cards authorizing union representation.

• Expect a lot more talk about sustainability, LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) construction and "reducing your carbon footprint." The green movement is moving far beyond paper recycling baskets and energy-efficient lightbulbs. Workplaces will become more actively involved in saving natural resources and slowing energy consumption.

• Expect more employers to create and push employees to take advantage of healthful lifestyle programs. Stop smoking. Lose weight. Lower your cholesterol. Exercise regularly. Do what you can to reduce the odds of poor health. That's the carrot. The stick will be more employers' adoption of cost differentials in the employee share of health insurance premium costs. Workers who participate in healthful lifestyle programs will be charged less.

• Expect health-care insurance costs to continue to increase, and expect more small-business operators to say they can't afford to subsidize it.

• Similarly, expect more small businesses to look for ways to reduce the cost of benefits administration by turning to professional employer organizations. With PEOs, some businesses take advantage of economies of scale and relieve their human-resources staff of some duties.

• Expect the long-predicted wave of baby-boomer retirements to gain steam. As that age cohort continues to reach Social Security eligibility, more will opt out of the workplace. At the same time, more will be invited to leave as some employers continue their cost-cutting efforts by offering early retirement and other departure incentives to their older and often highest-paid workers.

• In line with that, expect more age discrimination charges to be filed.

• Expect to see the employment door continue to revolve. Job tenure is spinning down to less than four years in the private sector. This is another headache-inducer for business managers.