Research and evaluation conducted by the Economic Opportunities Program’s Workforce Strategies Initiative explore strategies that help workers attain stability and mobility, including through training, education, and broader systems change.

In the years since the end of the Great Recession, the unemployment rate has declined much faster than the poverty rate, and more and more Americans are struggling to find work that allows them to support themselves and their families. WSI’s current research explores “raise the floor and build ladders” strategies, which improve the quality of low-wage jobs and promote mobility for low-wage workers.

New York City: Partnering to Improve Domestic Workers’ Job Quality
Publications

New York City: Partnering to Improve Domestic Workers’ Job Quality

The New York City Communities that Work Partnership is built on a long-standing collaboration among organizations that worked together to pass the New York State Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (BOR). The New York City partners are aware of how challenging it will be—given the uniquely private nature of domestic work—to enforce new labor regulations. Thus their work has expanded to consider how they can address challenges that affect both workers and their employers through workforce development strategies.

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Publications

Restore the Promise of Work: Reducing Inequality by Raising the Floor and Building Ladders

Restore the Promise of Work: Reducing Inequality by Raising the Floor and Building Ladders encourages a broader community beyond workforce development to engage in initiatives that redesign work to expand economic opportunity and address growing social, political, and economic inequality

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Publications

Raise the Floor and Build Ladders: Workforce Strategies Supporting Mobility and Stability

Raise the Floor and Build Ladders: Workforce Strategies Supporting Mobility and Stability argues for rebalancing workforce development strategies to improve the lives of low-wage workers.

Connecting Young Adults To Employment: Results From A National Survey Of Service Providers
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Connecting Young Adults To Employment: Results From A National Survey Of Service Providers

This report captures the insights of a variety of service providers helping to connect young adults to jobs in today’s labor market.

The Future of Work for Low-Income Workers and Families
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The Future of Work for Low-Income Workers and Families

This brief reviews the major forces shaping the future of work, including changes in labor and employment practices, business models, access to income and benefits, worker rights and voice, education and training, and technology.

Fact Sheet on Paid Sick and Family Medical Leave in the United States
Publications

Fact Sheet on Paid Sick and Family Medical Leave in the United States

Today, the United States lacks federal legislation to guarantee paid leave for personal or family illness or the birth of a new child, which forces millions of working Americans to choose between earning a paycheck or caring for themselves and their loved ones.

Profiles of the Restaurant Workforce and Restaurant Opportunities Center-United
Publications

Profiles of the Restaurant Workforce and Restaurant Opportunities Center-United

This report details the dynamics and challenges of the residential construction industry and provides a profile of the Workers Defense Project, a non-profit and membership-based organization based in Austin, Texas that seeks to provide low-wage workers, particularly those in the construction industry, with resources to improve their working and living conditions.

Profiles of the Residential Construction Workforce and the Workers Defense Project
Publications

Profiles of the Residential Construction Workforce and the Workers Defense Project

This report details the dynamics and challenges of the residential construction industry and provides a profile of the Workers Defense Project, a non-profit and membership-based organization based in Austin, Texas that seeks to provide low-wage workers, particularly those in the construction industry, with resources to improve their working and living conditions.

Profiles of the Direct-Care Workforce and PHI
Publications

Profiles of the Direct-Care Workforce and PHI

This report provides an overview of work in the direct-care industry and profiles PHI (Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute), an organization dedicated to improving employment for direct-care workers in the U.S.

Fact Sheet on Worker Cooperatives, ESOPs, and B Corporations
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Fact Sheet on Worker Cooperatives, ESOPs, and B Corporations

Learn more about the alternative business models, including worker cooperatives, ESOPs, and B corporations with this fact sheet, produced in late 2013.

Fact Sheet on the Federal Minimum Wage
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Fact Sheet on the Federal Minimum Wage

Learn more about the federal minimum wage with this fact sheet, produced in early 2013.

Fact Sheet on Foreign-Born Workforce
Blog Posts

Fact Sheet on Foreign-Born Workforce

The immigrant workforce contributes to the nation’s skills, knowledge, and labor across the economy with immigrant workers in every sector of the economy—from child care and home health to information technology and construction.

About the Workforce Strategies Initiative

The Workforce Strategies Initiative, part of the Economic Opportunities Program, uses research and evaluation to explore strategies that help workers attain stability and mobility, including through training, education, and broader systems change.

About the Economic Opportunities Program

The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.

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More from the Workforce Strategies Initiative

Cover Page for the publication "Race and Gender Wealth Equity and the Role of Employee Share Ownership"
Publications

Race and Gender Wealth Equity and the Role of Employee Share Ownership

Employee ownership can promote equity, improve job quality, and boost business performance.

Cover page for the report "Unpacking the Work of Work-Based Learning"
Publications

Unpacking the Work of Work-Based Learning

Enhancing Conversations Between Employers and Workforce Professionals
Blog Posts

Enhancing Conversations Between Employers and Workforce Professionals

Many young people need job and training opportunities. How do workforce professionals talk about these issues with employers?

Voices from the Field: Engaging Employers to Connect Young Adults to Good Fit Employment
Publications

Voices from the Field: Engaging Employers to Connect Young Adults to Good Fit Employment

Young workers are facing dire employment prospects. But asking employers the right questions can help identify opportunities.

Cover page: "The Benefits of Bridging Divides: How YouthBuild Philly Shares its Supportive Practices to Build Business Value and Better Jobs"
Publications

The Benefits of Bridging Divides: How YouthBuild Philly Shares its Supportive Practices to Build Business Value and Better Jobs

YouthBuild Philly shows how businesses can develop supportive practices to help young people succeed at work.

Cover Page: "Genesis at Work: Evaluating the Effects of Manufacturing Extension on Business Success and Job Quality"
Publications

Genesis at Work: Evaluating the Effects of Manufacturing Extension on Business Success and Job Quality

Workforce practices are central to a firm’s success. What happens when companies focus on people and process equally?

A Toolkit to Engage Employers and Opportunity Youth on the Future of Work
Publications

A Toolkit to Engage Employers and Opportunity Youth on the Future of Work

How can we ensure Opportunity Youth are positioned to succeed in the future of work?

Cost of Turnover Tool: Make the business case to improve retention through upskilling and stability
Publications

Cost of Turnover Tool

Estimate how much your business spends each year replacing staff in one occupation.