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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. 

 Learn More ABOUT IWER  

Interested in research on creating a better future of work? Sign up for IWER's newsletter.

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IWER Research Compendiums

A green leaf in a glass of water sits next to a laptop screen in this calm image IWER Work and Well-Being: An IWER Research Compendium Voice Gap: Graphed percentage of workers with less involvement than they want IWER Trends in Worker Voice and Worker Activism: An IWER Research Compendium

What's New at IWER

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Generative AI in the Workplace

Illustration of information being delivered via AI IWER Generative AI and Worker Productivity This illustration shows five workers, each standing on a pile of coins. The piles are different heights. IWER Exploring the Effects of Generative AI on Inequality An illustration of a young woman working at a computer with creative things happening on the screen IWER Generative AI and Worker Voice A cyborg and centaur are manipulating cogwheels Ideas Made to Matter How generative AI can boost highly skilled workers’ productivity

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 History

IWER Activities

  • Research Projects

    IWER scholars are researching timely work-related topics-- ranging from reducing bias in organizational processes to amplifying employee voice in the workplace.

    Learn more ABOUT IWER RESEARCH

  • 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.

    Find out more ABOUT the IWER phd program 

  • 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.

    Learn more ABOUT THe iwer seminar

  • 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. 

    Read publications by iwer faculty

  • 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.

    read the course guide 

  • 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.

     learn more about creating good jobs

IWER'S Mission: Improving Work

Coins on top of a dollar bill Ideas Made to Matter Sharper teeth, stronger bite needed for US minimum wage laws Thomas Kochan, MIT Sloan Professor Emeritus IWER In New Harvard Business Review Article, Kochan Advises Executives to Become “Labor-Savvy.” Image of a small plant with leaves apparently growing out of a container of coins. IWER Highlighting Management Practices That Benefit Disadvantaged Workers Image of a contract and office supplies, with the word "Contract" spelled out in Scrabble tiles IWER Shedding New Light on Contract Employment
Thomas Kochan | Professor Emeritus, MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research
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.
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