Research to focus on how work is changing and identify possible solutions
Contact: Erin McAlister
Communications Manager
Future of Work Initiative | The Aspen Institute
202-721-2324 │ Erin.McAlister@aspeninstitute.org
Washington, DC, October 11, 2017 – The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative today announced a collaboration with WeWork on a national town hall series and research on the future of work in cities across the United States.
The town hall series will convene business leaders, policymakers, and innovators in cities across America to discuss the changing nature of work in the 21st century, identifying local and national solutions and opportunities. Target locations over the next two years will include cities such as: Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle, Atlanta, Boston, Nashville, Denver, Kansas City, Charlotte, and Detroit.
As part of the collaboration, the Future of Work Initiative and WeWork will work together on research that examines how work is changing and the impact it is having on workers, freelancers, entrepreneurs and businesses. WeWork will survey its 150,000 members and more than 20,000 member companies across more than 25 U.S. cities and 50 cities around the world. The research will provide insights into the growth of the independent workforce, the impact of automation and technology on how work is being performed, and the intersection of urban policy, transportation, housing and work. It will also evaluate potential policy solutions such as portable benefits, education and training, and hiring factors related to work and cities, skills and jobs forecasting, with the aim of identifying actionable policy solutions for cities, mayors and other leaders to spur innovation and economic growth.
“We are excited to collaborate with WeWork to convene leaders and policymakers across the country who are interested in better understanding what can be done to prepare for the challenges that the future of work will present,” said Walter Isaacson, President and CEO of the Aspen Institute.
“By connecting people through space, design, technology, and most importantly, our community, we humanize the way people work and live. We are excited to team up with The Aspen Institute to launch innovative research aimed at providing insights to mayors, cities and people about the future of work and cities,” said Adam Neumann, CEO and Co-Founder of WeWork.
The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative and WeWork will share research and data on economic trends, entrepreneurship and innovation with cities and mayors and other interested stakeholders to inform policy development around increasing innovation and economic growth.
The future of work is a conversation taking place across the United States and across every industry. This collaboration between the Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative and WeWork will also help identify concrete steps that can be taken by workers and businesses to adjust to the changes impacting the American economy.
####
The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative is a nonpartisan effort to identify concrete ways to address the challenges American workers and businesses face due to the changing nature of work in the 21st century. The Initiative focuses on policy solutions at the federal, state and local level to improve economic security for traditional and independent workers, encourage increased investment in worker training and education, and give workers the tools they need to succeed in the new economy. Established in late 2015, the Initiative is led by honorary co-chairs Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) and Mitch Daniels, President of Purdue University and former Governor of Indiana, and is based in Washington, DC. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org/futureofwork or follow @AspenFutureWork on Twitter.
The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners.