In this event, Nick Romeo, author of “The Alternative: How to Build a Just Economy,” explores a paradigm shift in economic thinking, which challenges the prevailing notions perpetuated by many economists and business leaders. Romeo presents a vision of economies that are more equal, just, and livable, showcasing real-world examples of success and offering a glimpse into a viable alternative economic system.

In this event, panelists discuss the state of workplace benefits, innovative approaches to improve access and effectiveness, and ideas for how to build on these in the future. Presenters also share findings from research conducted by the Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative, which highlights the benefits-related challenges that many workers face today.

The Work Design for Health toolkit, developed by researchers at MIT and Harvard, is a practical but in-depth guide on improving job quality by centering worker health. Through topic overviews and recommended practices, which include ratings indicating the strength of research evidence on these practices, the guide walks employers through potential worker needs and action steps.

The toolkit consists of a number of modules. The first, the Overview, provides an introduction to the Work Design for Health approach to worker well-being. The next three modules explore the three principles that are at the heart of the Work Design for Health approach: giving employees more control on the job; taming excessive job demands; and improving social relationships in the workplace. The final module, “Get Started,” offers key steps and resources for implementing a Work Design for Health approach.

In this event, leaders from both business and organized labor discuss how they can innovate and work together to achieve shared prosperity. The conversation offers a glimpse of how business leaders have begun to reimagine their relationship with organized labor, including a fireside chat with AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler.

In this event, panelists discuss the latest research on the experiences of workers grappling with schedule instability, how new technology is helping businesses adopt worker-friendly scheduling practices, what we are learning from states and cities with fair workweek laws, and other opportunities and strategies for change.

In this event, panelists discuss the state of research into employee ownership trusts (EOTs), the benefits that EOTs provide, how EOTs compare to other forms of employee ownership, the experiences of business owners and workers in trusts, and what the future holds for this model in the US.

In this event, Marjorie Kelly, author of “Wealth Supremacy: How the Extractive Economy and the Biased Rules of Capitalism Drive Today’s Crises,” outlines the myths that perpetuate wealth inequality and discusses how the democratization of ownership — including public ownership of vital services, worker-owned businesses, and more — can help us build a non-extractive capitalism and economy based on the public interest.

In this event, panelists discuss alternative models of platform-based work — including cooperatives and public options — policies being introduced to improve gig workers’ lives, and research pointing to what’s next in the gig economy.

This piece provides a summary of The Case for Good Jobs: How Great Companies Bring Dignity, Pay, and Meaning to Everyone’s Work, a book talk EOP hosted with MIT Professor Zeynep Ton in 2023.

This piece reflects on the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program’s event “Sustaining Ownership: The Promise of Employee Ownership Trusts,” which introduced viewers to Employee Ownership Trusts and their potential to increase job quality for workers.