Big Impact, Big Challenges: Lessons from Collaborating with Large Businesses to Improve Job Quality

With more than 40% of workers in the US employed by businesses with more than 1,000 employees, many look to the outsized influence these employers can have on how we design work and jobs. As a result, engaging and collaborating with these businesses where possible is necessary to improving job quality and working conditions.

While their size and scale offers job quality practitioners the potential for big changes, engaging large businesses in job quality and strategies that improve conditions for their workforces presents unique challenges as well. Complex decision-making processes and implementation challenges, wide-ranging organizational needs and incentives, and an array of other potential barriers can make it difficult to navigate for those looking to engage and collaborate with big businesses on improving job quality.

In this event — hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program on October 9, 2025 — we examine the challenges and strategies for engaging and supporting large businesses in actively influencing positive economic outcomes for their employees. Our speakers include Ellen G. Frank-Miller (Founder & CEO, Workforce & Organizational Research Center), Scotland Nash (Director, Talent Rewire, FSG), Cindy Williams (Executive Director, WorkLife Partnership), and moderator Matt Helmer (Director, Job Quality and Worker Well-Being, Economic Opportunities Program, The Aspen Institute). 

This event is part of our Job Quality in Practice webinar series. For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel. Or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go.

Highlights

For highlights from this discussion, subscribe to our YouTube channel or subscribe to our podcast to listen on the go. Check out our playlist or click below to watch.