Welcome to IWER
How can work be improved—for both workers and organizations? That's a question central to the work of the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER).
IWER is a multidisciplinary and highly collaborative hub for the study of work and employment, housed at MIT Sloan but including researchers from other departments across MIT. IWER-affiliated scholars conduct and disseminate cutting-edge research that improves the lives of workers and their loved ones and that guides managers and policy makers in crafting a successful and inclusive future of work. On these webpages, you can find out more about IWER—our mission, activities, PhD program, weekly seminar series, courses, storied history, and more.
Interested in research on creating a better future of work? Sign up for IWER's newsletter.
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What's New at IWER
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Institute for Work and Employment Research Erin Kelly Wins Award from the Work and Family Researchers Network
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Ideas Made to Matter Sharper teeth, stronger bite needed for US minimum wage laws
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Institute for Work and Employment Research Wilmers Becomes Fourth IWER Faculty Member to Receive Award for Mentoring Graduate Students
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Press No shortcuts for Generative AI Upskilling
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Institute for Work and Employment Research MIT Sloan PhD Student Zach Tan Wins Lucea Award
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Institute for Work and Employment Research IWER April Newsletter: Generative AI and the Future of Work
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Institute for Work and Employment Research Generative AI and Worker Voice
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Institute for Work and Employment Research The Link Between Worker Voice on the Job and Job Quality
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Institute for Work and Employment Research The Wisdom of Lotte Bailyn: Envisioning a New World of Work
IWER
IWER History
The late Phyllis A. Wallace, a professor in MIT IWER, was a pioneer in researching the economics of discrimination in the labor market.
Learn More About IWER's HistoryIWER Activities
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Research Projects
IWER scholars are researching timely work-related topics-- ranging from reducing bias in organizational processes to amplifying employee voice in the workplace.
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PhD Program
IWER offers a world-renowned multidisciplinary PhD program in conjunction with the Behavioral and Policy Sciences faculty at MIT Sloan. We admit a small number of students and work closely with them.
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Seminar Series
IWER’s weekly seminar series, held on Tuesdays throughout the academic year, is one of the longest-running seminar series at MIT and features researchers from universities across the US and internationally.
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Publications
IWER faculty disseminate their research findings and ideas through a wide variety of media – from scholarly journal articles to op-ed columns and interviews.
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Resources for MBA Students
Interested in learning more about the human side of management while studying at MIT Sloan? Explore IWER's course guide for master's students.
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Resources for Managers
Decades of research at MIT and elsewhere have shown that some companies achieve good returns while paying workers more than their competitors do.
IWER'S Mission: Improving Work
Business, labor, and government policy leaders need to find ways to bring workers’ voices into the development, design, and use of new AI technologies so these new tools both drive innovation in responsible ways and improve the quality of jobs and employment opportunities.Read More