The Work Life Legacy of the Families & Work Institute

I remember it like it was yesterday because there is not a day that goes by that it doesn’t come across my radar. Following the events of 9/11 a concrete shift took place within the workplace; the work life experience merged for many, because the grief of this time knew no boundaries. A spotlight was suddenly shown on organizations, non-profits and faith-based initiatives that dealt with workplace issues. That’s when I learned more about the Families & Work Institute. 

This week is the 20th anniversary of the Institute’s inception. You can read about the Legacy dinner that was held last night honoring co-founders, Ellen Galinsky and Dana Friedman at Cali Yost’s Work+Life Fit blog. Cali’s blog goes into depth on the workplace trends spoken about at the dinner. It’s a good read with the latest ideas on the topic. I’ve partnered with Cali on a few projects and she has an incredible handle on the cutting edge initiatives in the field, and the work of the Families & Work Institute, as she began her career there.

The Families & Work Institute is known best perhaps for its National Study of the Changing Workforce. But what initially caught my eye less than two months prior to 9/11, was the Institute study entitled: Feeling Overworked: When Work Becomes Too Much.

It stated that a third of U.S. employees felt often or very often overwhelmed by the amount of work they had to do. Little did anyone know how much more difficult it would get to juggle work and life issues. 9/11 was a tipping point in our work life nation. Wall Street suffered, then came corporate malfeasance, the collapse of the DotComs and Sarbanes-Oxley which put a lot of people in a bad mood and upped the stress levels. The Institute was there the whole way and still ahead of the curve to this day. Subsequently, I learned more about the Institute, and interviewed its founders for some stories I did for Marketplace and NPR.

The material that comes out of the Institutes combined efforts with other like-minded groups keeps work life integration on the front burner. It keeps the conversation alive so that companies take more of an interest in their people, their so-called “human capital.” To this day their shared wisdom has fueled my passion to report on programs, companies and pioneers making the work life journey in the new economy, a more positive experience. For me, that’s also part of their legacy; giving voice to what can no longer be ignored. For companies working in a 24/7 global marketplace amidst many generations during a recession – they can’t afford not to listen.