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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  

What's New at IWER

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Year In Review

Making Work Better

How can work be improved for both employees and organizations? This question is central to the work of the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER), which began as the Industrial Relations Section of the MIT Department of Economics and Social Science in 1937.

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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

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
Paul Osterman | NTU Professor of Human Resources and Management
Good jobs are essential for good lives. Our great challenge is not simply creating jobs but assuring that they are good and, by the same token, upgrading the quality of existing work. We have the tools to achieve these goals but need to come together and build the will to move forward."
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