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Empowering workers as experts and changemakers.
Empowering workers as experts and changemakers.
We cultivate worker-centered knowledge by engaging workers in participatory action research, equipping and empowering them to be researchers of their own conditions.
To date, our worker-centered participatory research has been represented by:
paid participant-researchers
people of color
young people (under age of 25)
Most labor research is done on workers, not by workers.
We take a different approach, partnering directly with frontline workers to develop and lead research projects.
The result? Research that reflects workers’ knowledge and experiences to inform and shape labor policies and practices.
Understanding the realities of gig work and developing worker-led solutions.
Equipping young people disconnected from traditional employment to innovate labor market solutions.
Engaging workers with disabilities as experts on their experiences.
The first worker-developed survey on gig and nonstandard work, launching in 2025.
Traditional research methods have been shaped by colonialism and racism. Our participatory approach challenges this historical legacy and empowers workers, reflecting the shift of power we want to see across the economy.
We partner with worker and community-based organizations to recruit workers as participant-researchers, who take the reins and design projects that reflect their needs.
Workers should be central to labor research. From developing research questions to applying findings to solving problems, workers are a part of every step of the process.
Our research priorities include:
We make a difference by amplifying the voices and experiences of often-overlooked workers—particularly workers of color, women, immigrants, and people with disabilities—focusing on how labor laws and protections directly affect their lives.
Scaling participatory research allows us to capture a comprehensive, nationwide view of workers' experiences, providing more accurate data to inform policy and practice. Using technology and innovative methods, we engage thousands of workers, offering an alternative to traditional datasets that often miss the complexity of workers’ experience.
Rapid technological and environmental shifts are transforming the world of work faster than policy can keep up. Our research helps workers and policymakers stay ahead by focusing on current issues, such as how workers leverage generative AI, how climate change affects jobs, and the impact of recent policy changes.
We help organizers identify opportunities, tell impactful workers' stories, and protect workers' rights. Design, develop, and deliver technology that puts power in the hands of workers.
AI Support Infrastructure
Our AI chatbots provide 24/7 personalized help and resources for workers trying to make sense of complex contract and policy documents while connecting them to useful resources and support.
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"Thank you for creating this platform for us to connect and to share our ideas. We have so much knowledge to share. When we connect, we can see the actions we need."
- Participant Researcher
Participatory research is a democratic process, and we depend on partnerships with worker and community-based organizations, other researchers, and workers.
We partner with worker and community-based organizations nationwide, providing actionable insights to guide your organization and ensure your members’ voices are heard in national conversations.
We also collaborate on impact evaluation projects to celebrate successes and develop worker-informed solutions.
We partner with academic researchers and other research institutions to integrate participatory approaches into existing projects, apply our data and findings to existing projects, and connect participant researchers with additional research opportunities.
Our participant-researchers design surveys, participate in focus groups, analyze data, and more. No research experience is needed–we train you!
If you are a frontline worker in any industry interested in joining future projects, let us know.
Participatory research is an approach that engages participant-researchers as leaders who shape every step of a project from designing a research question to collecting data to analyzing results.
We work with any organization interested in improving the lives of workers. This includes worker-led and community-based organizations, state and local governments, employers, and more.
Our projects seek to engage workers in improving their own conditions.
Some of our projects have a national scope and seek to inform national conversations, such as our Gig Worker Learning Project. These typically last a year or longer, and we work with many organizations across the country to recruit participants.
Other projects are specific to an organization, such as local impact evaluations. These projects address specific questions unique to a partner organization.
Participatory research makes sure that knowledge-informed action is rooted in the real experiences of workers. It can help leaders see past blind spots, and increase the agency and satisfaction of workers.
We have a lot of experience facilitating participatory research. You can learn from our experience and benefit from the tools and processes we have developed.
We also have a range of existing projects that you may be able to engage with.
No! We can help you shape a project, or connect you to one of our existing projects.
Please send us a message here.