Updates | The Workers Lab

The Workers Lab Announces Participatory Action Research Center: Where Workers Lead Labor Research

Written by Jeshua John | November 14, 2024 at 1:21 AM

The way we understand work needs to change. For too long, research about workers has been done on workers, not by workers. Today, we're excited to announce the launch of our Participatory Action Research Center, where workers are leading labor research.

Worker-Centered Approach to Understanding Labor

Most labor research comes from institutions shaped by histories of colonialism and inequality. As a result, traditional research often misses crucial realities of workers. At The Workers Lab, we're carving
a different path. Our participatory research approach puts workers in the driver's seat - as experts, researchers, and changemakers.

What Makes Our Research Different

         

Workers as Leaders: We partner with frontline workers to design and lead research projects that reflect their real experiences

         

Scale and Impact: To date, we've engaged over 200 paid participant researchers, including 80% people of color and 60% young people

         

Action-Oriented: Our research directly informs policies and practices that improve workers' lives.


Partnering with us leads to:

1. Insights that move beyond outdated categories and political debates.
2. More sustainable and effective improvements for workers and work, including inclusive
policy recommendations.

3. A modern foundation for the workforce, including business practice changes, narrative
shifts, and empowerment strategies.

4. Detailed Impact evaluation, identifying successes and areas for improvement.


Current Projects Making an Impact

We're already seeing the power of worker-led research through projects like:



Gig Worker Learning Project
Understanding the real experiences of gig workers to develop better solutions

 



Understanding Youth at Work

Empowering young people to shape the future of work

 



Whether you're an organization looking to partner, a researcher wanting to collaborate, or a worker interested in becoming a participant-researcher, we invite you to be part of this transformation in how we understand work and improve workers' lives.

Learn more about our research approach and get involved →