This guide contains tips and practices for creating trusted relationships with small business employers focused on improving job quality, and compiles seven lessons for small business prospecting, recruitment, and ongoing engagement. Lessons outlined in this publication were developed as part of the Economic Opportunities Program’s Reimagine Retail job quality research, and in response to a growing demand for employer engagement practices that enable collaboration and innovative solutions in connecting people to good jobs. Although there is no one-size-fits-all approach to developing relationships with employers, this tool may be of interest to employers (and their partners) who would like to engage in job quality discussions and tailor engagement to their local contexts.
Overview
            
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Related Resources
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                        Tool2025                    
                Creating Good Jobs Module (One Pager)
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Developing your Employee Handbook
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Creating Good Jobs: Budgeting for Benefits
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Good Jobs, Great Returns: Strengthening Business, Home, and Community Video
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Guide to Hiring: Do’s and Dont’s to Consider
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Building Trust: Creating Jobs People Want to Keep
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Creating an Onboarding Plan
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives , et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Good Job Inventory: Understand and Measure the Quality of Jobs You Offer
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                New Hire Checklist: Supporting your Employees from the Start
                        
                                                
                            Northern Initiatives, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Building Shared Success: A Guide to Small Business Job Quality Advising for CDFIs
                        
                                                
                            The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Good Jobs, Good Business Toolkit — Scheduling + Paid Leave
                        
                                                
                            Pacific Community Ventures                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Good Jobs, Good Business Toolkit — Health Benefits
                        
                                                
                            Pacific Community Ventures                         
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Cost of Turnover Calculator
                        
                                                
                            Coastal Enterprises, Inc.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Bias Interrupters Toolkits
                        
                                                
                            Equality Action Center                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Gender Decoder
                        
                                                
                            Kat Matfield                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Employer Toolkit
                        
                                                
                            Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Checklist
                        
                                                
                            Center for Equity, Gender & Leadership at Berkeley Haas School of Business                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Opportunity Employment Best Practices
                        
                                                
                            Opportunity Navigator                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Employee Engagement
                        
                                                
                            Gallup                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Data and Research on Employee Ownership
                        
                                                
                            National Center for Employee Ownership                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Roles & Goals Resources
                        
                                                
                            The Management Center                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Hiring Resources
                        
                                                
                            The Management Center                        
                        
                        
                    
                        Tool2025                    
                Navigating the Compliance Landscape to Advance Good Jobs: Resources for Small Businesses
                        
                                                
                            The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Key Frameworks for Success
                        
                                                
                            Mind Share Partners                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Resources on Pregnancy/Breastfeeding Accommodations
                        
                                                
                            Center for WorkLife Law                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                PHI Coaching Approach
                        
                                                
                            PHI                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Progression in Employment
                        
                                                
                            Institute for Employment Studies                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Behavioral Economics for Workforce Professionals
                        
                                                
                            National Fund for Workforce Solutions                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Equity and Inclusion Tools
                        
                                                
                            The Management Center                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Accomodation and Compliance Series by Disability
                        
                                                
                            Job Acommodation Network                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Employee Accomodation Inquiry Letter
                        
                                                
                            Job Acommodation Network                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Employees’ Practical Guide to Requesting and Negotiating Reasonable Accommodation Under the Americans with Disabilities Act
                        
                                                
                            Job Acommodation Network                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Guide to Employee Financial Wellness
                        
                                                
                            National Fund for Workforce Solutions                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Income Advance Guide
                        
                                                
                            B Lab and Rhino Foods                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Reimagining Employer Engagement
                        
                                                
                            Reimagine Retail Chicagoland                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                How to Build Job Quality into Your Workforce Development Approach
                        
                                                
                            San Diego Workforce Partnership                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Job Design Framework
                        
                                                
                            National Fund for Workforce Solutions                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                What Is a “Good” Job?
                        
                                                
                            Good Jobs Institute                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Employee Ownership
                        
                                                
                            Results for America                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Democratic Management
                        
                                                
                            Democracy at Work Institute                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Becoming Employee Owned
                        
                                                
                            Democracy at Work Institute                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Our Share
                        
                                                
                            Rutgers University                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Employee Ownership Online Education Program
                        
                                                
                            Rutgers University                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool                    
                Who’s Who in ESOPs and Employee Ownership
                        
                                                
                            National Center for Employee Ownership                        
                        
                        
                    
                        Tool                    
                Toolkit: An Organizer’s Guide to Executive Action
                        
                                                
                            Workshop                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefits
                        
                                                
                            Best Workplaces for Commuters                        
                        
                        
                    


                        Tool2024                    
                Family Budget Calculator
                        
                                                
                            Economic Policy Institute                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Living Wage Calculator
                        
                                                
                            MIT                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Toolkit for Developing High-Performing Industry Partnerships
                        
                                                
                            National Fund for Workforce Solutions                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Opportunity Navigator
                        
                                                
                            FSG Talent Rewire Initiative, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Application for Family Friendly Business Award
                        
                                                
                            Family Friendly New Mexico                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                The B Impact Assessment
                        
                                                
                            BLab                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                US Private Sector Job Quality Index
                        
                                                
                            University of Buffalo School of Management                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                The Shared Power Advantage
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program and Charter                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                An Interactive Introduction to ESOPs
                        
                                                
                            National Center for Employee Ownership                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Employer Toolkit: Work Design for Health
                        
                                                
                            The Work and Well-Being Initiative                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Job Quality Narrative Playbook
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Transgender Inclusion in the Workplace
                        
                                                
                            Human Rights Campaign                        
                        
                        
                    


                        Tool2024                    
                Lessons and Takeaways from Supporting Small Businesses to Improve Job Quality
                        
                                                
                            The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Centering Worker Voice in Employer Engagement and Program Design
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Centering Worker Voice in Employer Engagement and Program Design
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Research Center
                        
                                                
                            United for ALICE                        
                        
                        
                    


                        Tool2024                    
                Lessons and Takeaways from Supporting Small Businesses to Improve Job Quality
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Statement on Good Jobs
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Employee Ownership for Closely Held (Private) Companies
                        
                                                
                            National Center for Employee Ownership                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Supporting Employee Mental Health During the Coronavirus Epidemic
                        
                                                
                            Mind Share Partners                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                The COVID-19 Corporate Response Tracker
                        
                                                
                            JUST Capital                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Safety First
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Food & Society Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Seven Workforce Questions That are Top of Mind During COVID-19
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Employer Engagement Question Bank
                        
                                                
                            Generation Work, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Communicating on Race and Racial Equity
                        
                                                
                            Prosperity Now                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Coronavirus: Work Safely
                        
                                                
                            National Domestic Workers Alliance                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                A Toolkit to Engage Employers and Opportunity Youth on the Future of Work
                        
                                                
                            The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Good Jobs, Good Business
                        
                                                
                            Pacific Community Ventures                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                A New Home at work
                        
                                                
                            Deloitte                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Filing an Employment Discrimination Charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
                        
                                                
                            Women Employed                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Question Bank for Workforce Service Providers
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Cost of Turnover Tool
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    


                        Tool2025                    
                Conducting a Pay Equity Audit
                        
                                                
                            Practical Law                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                A Quick-Start Toolkit – Building Registered Apprenticeship Programs
                        
                                                
                            Department of Labor                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Key Elements of Successful Tuition Assistance Programs
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                From Tuition Reimbursement to Tuition Disbursement
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2025                    
                Ready for Equity in Workforce Development
                        
                                                
                            Race Forward, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                UpSkilling Playbook for Employers
                        
                                                
                            UpSkill America                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Employee Financial Health
                        
                                                
                            Financial Health Network                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Workplace Financial Wellness Services
                        
                                                
                            Prosperity Now, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Adding Racial Equity to the Menu
                        
                                                
                            ROC United, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Communities that Work Partnership Playbook
                        
                                                
                            Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Creating a Member Engagement Plan
                        
                                                
                            Democracy at Work Institute                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                A brief, visual guide to understanding employee ownership structures
                        
                                                
                            Democracy at Work Institute                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Becoming Employee-Owned
                        
                                                
                            Democracy at Work Institute                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Racial Equity Toolkit
                        
                                                
                            Seattle Race and Social Justice Initiative                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Organizational Self-Assessment
                        
                                                
                            Race Matters, et al.                        
                        
                        
                    

                        Tool2024                    
                Steps to Starting a Worker Coop
                        
                                                
                            Democracy at Work Institute                        
                        
                        
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