The Center for Work & Family maintains an active research agenda. In addition to its own projects, a primary objective is to act as a bridge between leading academic researchers and work/life practitioners. This dual focus requires the Center to not only conduct its own research, but also to keep informed of the most current research in the field from a wide variety of sources.

Current and recent Center research projects include:

• Fatherhood Study:

  Just Released! The New Dad: Caring, Committed and Conflicted (2011)

  Just in time for Father's Day, a new study focusing on the complex and changing role of fathers in the modern American family has been released by the Boston College Center for Work & Family on June 15, 2010. This study provides a deeper understanding of the struggles fathers face as they embrace their roles as breadwinner and caregiver.  Download the study report The New Dad, view the video, or contact the Center for Work & Family for additional information cwf@bc.edu. We are currently recruiting member companies to participate and to be leaders in a quantitative portion of this study. More information is available here, and please contact us if you are interested in having your organization participate in this timely and important study.

• Flexibility Study:

  The Center has conducted a study of model programs for the implementation of flexible work arrangements (FWAs) in twenty-first century workplaces. The resulting report is entitled Overcoming the Implementation Gap: How 20 Leading Companies are Making Flexibility Work. The study is designed to get beyond simple lists of programs and policies to provide details as to how to implement and sustain FWAs. Some of the FWAs examined include: teleworking, part-time and reduced workload, job-sharing, on and off-ramp programs, alternative work schedules, and programs that link business results with flexible work arrangements.  For more information, please contact cwf@bc.edu or 617-552-2844.  Visit our Publications Page to view the Executive Summary or the Full Report.

•  Managing Careers and Work/Life Integration: Center Executive Director, Professor Brad Harrington and Professor Douglas T. Hall of Boston University, one of the country's pre-eminent career scholars, have collaborated on a new book Career Management and Work-Life Integration: Using Self Assessment to Navigate Contemporary Careers. The book is targeted at individuals or couples to assist them in navigating their careers and maintaining work/life balance during these challenging times. With a rigorous self assessment process as its foundation, this book addresses the changing employment contract, managing traditional and alternative career paths, using flexible work arrangements, and managing a career over the life span. The book will be appropriate for use in both academic and workplace settings for courses and executive education programs on career development and work/life. For more information, contact Brad Harrington.
  
  
•    The Work-Life Evolution Study: The purpose of The Work/Life Evolution Study is to assess the patterns of change in workforce management strategies over time and to develop a better understanding of the trends and forces that will catalyze the field moving forward. The study, which will be published in the summer of 2007, will recommend future approaches to managing people through their career lifecycle that will yield highly positive outcomes for organizations and their employees. For more information, contact Brad Harrington.  For the full report click here.
  
  
• Model Programs and Policies for Hourly and Lower Wage Employees: The Center conducted a research study to identify and highlight 15 organizations that have developed model programs or policies to support the needs of employees in lower wage occupations. Building on work by the Families and Work Institute, information for this one-year project was collected through site visits, telephone interviews, and analysis of written materials provided by the participating organizations. A summary report that frames the issues faced on a daily basis by employees in hourly and lower wage occupations, and presents information about innovative programs and policies for this group of employees in five different areas: Dependent Care, Employee Development, Financial Assistance, Financial Incentives, and Scheduling/Leaves is available in .pdf format on our Publications page.