Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative

The Aspen Institute’s Future of Work Initiative is a nonpartisan effort to identify concrete ways to address the challenges American workers and businesses face due to the changing nature of work in the 21st century. Several trends are impacting workers and businesses today, and could bring dramatic transformations in the years ahead: the weakening social contract between workers and employers, the increased importance of access to education and skills resulting from new technologies and increased automation, and the pressure to produce short-term profits rather than long-term value. Rather than waiting to react to future disruptions, it is critical to develop solutions that address the changes transforming the U.S. economy. The Initiative focuses on policy ideas at the federal, state, and local level to: Improve economic security for both traditional and independent workers Expand investment in and access to effective education and training programs Reduce pressure on public companies to prioritize short-term profits and encourage investment in long-term value creation Established in 2015, the Initiative is driven by the leadership of Honorary Co-Chairs Senator Mark R. Warner and Purdue University President and former Governor of Indiana Mitch Daniels, and Co-Chairs John Bridgeland and Bruce Reed. Executive Director Alastair Fitzpayne leads an Aspen Institute staff, based in Washington, DC.