Workforce Initiative

Exploring critical issues to meet today's evolving workforce needs

As the pace of change around us accelerates, organizations face new challenges and opportunities as they position themselves for the future. The Travelers Institute Forces at Work^SM initiative is an educational platform to help today’s leaders navigate the shifting dynamics of the modern workplace and prioritize employees and their well-being. Join us as we examine issues including:

Risk management and insurance: Offering risk management strategies on topics such as workers compensation insurance, and insights to help protect employees and businesses.
Labor market: Analyzing demographic shifts, hiring trends and other macro-level economic changes influencing the workforce.
Leadership and management: Highlighting stories and strategies of effective leadership in times of rapid change.
Talent and development: Providing strategies to attract, retain and develop talent across generations.
Employee well-being: Promoting mental health, stress management and other aspects of holistic employee care.

Upcoming events

Webinar

Forces at Work Symposium at the New York Stock Exchange

April 7, 2025
10:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. ET
Webinar

From labor market fluctuations to shifting employee expectations, today’s workforce is evolving at an unprecedented pace. In this special extended webinar, we’re broadcasting live from the New York Stock Exchange to explore the challenges and opportunities brought on by these changes.

In-person event

Creating Your Action Plan: Prioritizing Mental Health – Bay Area, CA

May 13, 2025
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. PT
In-person event
San Ramon, CA

From stress and burnout to substance abuse disorders, this symposium will address the state of worker mental health, the latest trends in workers compensation programs and how these programs fit into the larger picture of employee well-being.

All upcoming events

Featured publications

Investing in Mental Well-Being: A Guide for Employers

Mental health is no longer a topic to be avoided at work. It's a critical factor impacting employee well-being, productivity and overall business success. This white paper explores the importance of mental health in the workplace and introduces strategies employers can implement to help create a supportive and thriving environment.

Cover of whitepaper Investing in Mental Well-Being

2024 CFO Study: A Travelers Special Report

We surveyed chief financial officers in insurance decision-making roles for companies with 500+ employees across a mix of industries to learn about the challenges they face. From workforce trends to macroeconomic factors, find out what influences their decision-making and keeps CFOs up at night. Get insights that can help you better serve this otherwise difficult-to-reach audience. 

Read the report

Event highlights

Unlocking Your Potential: Lessons in Leadership and Influence

March 12, 2025

What is influence and how do we build more of it? Those are the questions behind Laura Cox Kaplan’s weekly podcast, She Said/She Said. Laura joined us to share career and leadership lessons learned from the hundreds of leaders she’s interviewed.

Watch the replay

Screenshot of Zoom call with Kory Kantenga and Jessica Kearney

Labor Market Outlook: A Conversation with LinkedIn^®'s Dr. Kory Kantenga

December 4, 2024

From the ‟Great Reshuffle” to the ‟Big Stay,” hiring managers and business leaders have had to constantly adapt. We explore how economic and demographic changes are shaping the current labor market and how these trends could factor into your hiring and retention strategies.

Watch the replay

Screenshot of Zoom call with Joan Woodward, Chris Williams and Sarah Skubas

Employment Practices Liability Explained: What You Need to Know

September 18, 2024

From hiring to workplace culture, businesses face daily decisions that affect employees and could lead to claims of wrongful employment practices. This webinar explored current trends in employment-related insurance claims, recent legal changes and strategies to reduce risk.

Watch the replay

Creating Your Action Plan: Prioritizing Worker Mental Health

September 4, 2024

From stress and burnout to substance abuse disorders, this session addressed the state of worker mental health and provided a framework for understanding mental health as a continuum.

Watch the replay

100th Episode: A Conversation with Alan Schnitzer

October 25, 2023

What makes a successful leader during times of uncertainty and rapid change? Travelers Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Alan Schnitzer joined us for a conversation on leadership.

Watch the replay

Joan Woodward, Bruce Soltys, Jill Houghton and an ASL interpreter on a Zoom call

Advancing Disability Inclusion in the Workplace

June 28, 2023

How can businesses recruit, hire and retain employees with disabilities? We discussed this with Disability:IN President Jill Houghton and Travelers VP Bruce Soltys as they shared insights on disability inclusion and hiring neurodiverse workers.

Watch the replay