A recent webinar brought together leaders of academia, business, and policy groups to discuss the future of the workplace in a time of change and uncertainty. The conference, led by WorkRise, a research network hosted by the Urban Institute, explored a wide range of topics affecting workers today, especially low-wage workers.

Todd green, executive director for WorkRise, opened the conference by saying the event would explore the complexities of current labor market as well recent trends.  Those trends include, "Rising inequality, wages that have not kept up with the cost of living and the proliferation of low-wage, low quality jobs with minimal benefits and protections," Green notes. "And yet I want to emphasize that this conference is not simply about just defining a problem, naming and understanding our challenge, [but finding] key steps on our journey towards creating greater economic opportunity for everyone, particularly for black and brown workers and others facing structural disadvantages."

The conference featured a wide range of participants, including Raphael Bostic, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta; Ramiro Cavazos, president and chief executive officer of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Julie Coffman, chief diversity officer of Bain & Company; Dane Linn, senior vice president of Corporate Initiatives at the Business Roundtable; and Marc Morial, president and CEO, National Urban League.