Aspen is a place for leaders to lift their sights above the possessions which possess them. To confront their own nature as human beings, to regain control over their own humanity by becoming more self-aware, more self-correcting, and hence more self-fulfilling.
Walter P. Paepcke, Aspen Institute Co-Founder
Aspen Institute
Publications
Job Quality Insights from Small Business Employees
November 13, 2025
Shared Success, and Economic Opportunities Program
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, in partnership with KRC Research, conducted a national survey of 760 small business employees spanning seven major employment sectors: retail, food service, construction, agriculture, manufacturing, hospitality, and childcare.
The survey was conducted as a part of the Shared Success demonstration to understand how small business employees feel about the quality of their jobs.
Findings from this survey reinforce the importance of job quality for employee satisfaction. Respondents reported five main drivers of satisfaction including competitive pay; work-life balance; job security; positive work environment; and comprehensive benefits package. Yet, many small business employees reported that these needs were not being met, particularly when it came to benefits. The full survey and findings are shared in the deck below.
Shared Success, a project of the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, shows how building better jobs can simultaneously uplift workers while also driving small business success.
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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This Q&A provides insights and lessons from the work of 11 CDFIs that participated in Shared Success, a job quality demonstration led by the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program (EOP).
This toolkit provides practical insights that community development financial institutions (CDFIs) can use to expand their impact and support small business job quality and growth.
