http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/278850/1/New-field-service-rules-coming-this-summer
Good intel is that the Watchtower will introduce “new ways” to count time. Likely, this will have an impact on not only total field service hours, but bump up the publisher count as well. If they drop the auxiliary pioneer quota to 30 hours, and the regular pioneer quota to 50, then there might be a bump there as well, especially if it is easier to make one's time.
If it is suddenly easier to make one’s time, then it could be that a large swath of suddenly irregular or inactive JWs will become active. Suddenly, it might seem like a “large increase”…praise Jah for speeding things up! But in reality, nothing has changed but the beancounting. It might be meaningless for us to compare the new metrics to the old…although the Watchtower will obviously present it as a seamless continuity.
Another thought, more previously “unqualified” males might now qualify to be appointed ministerial servants and elders because they are making their hours. This could solve the shortage.