Finding and affording quality childcare when and where you need it can be a tough task. And when you can’t rely on your childcare, it can take time and attention away from your work.

As the economy reopens and we all settle into a strange new normal, employers are faced with a new challenge: how to resume business while balancing what’s safe for your workers. You’re likely stocking up on cleaning supplies and masks, retrofitting workspaces and rearranging floorplans. But to fully support your workers, there’s more to consider than hygiene and health. 

COVID-19 and its complications will hit frontline workers the hardest. It’s difficult enough in normal times when an employee comes to you struggling with something in their lives that you have no resources to address. What do you do when every one of your employees is suddenly anxious and overwhelmed with the same mounting crisis?

Overwhelmed. Burned-out. Exhausted. No matter how you say it, American workers are stressed. In the last six months, 60% of WorkLife clients reported that their stress levels negatively impacted their work and home lives. According to the American Psychological Association, the high cost of living and healthcare expenses are to blame for American’s rising stress levels—with 72% of adults feeling stressed about money at least some of the time.

Almost 80% of metro Denver residents commute to work by car, with more than 20% spending an hour or longer to get to their jobs. When adding up the cost of gas, insurance, car payment, tolls, parking, and routine maintenance, the average worker can spend more than $7,500 per year on transportation alone.

In communities across the country, there are leaders innovating to address the challenge of job quality. To support these innovations and encourage more, the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program created a Job Quality Fellowship that brings together innovators from differing lines of focus who […]