About

The Boston College Center for Work & Family (òòò½Ö±²¥CWF) is the country’s leading university-based center focused on helping organizations enhance the employee experience, increase employee productivity, and improve the quality of employee lives. By bridging the worlds of academic research and corporate practice, the Center helps our partners find the most relevant, evidence-based information available in order to craft the best possible workforce management practices.  

The Center works with our outstanding member organizations by focusing on four major areas: engaging & managing talent, creating globally inclusive workplace cultures, promoting and fostering employee well-being, and developing innovative work-life and flexibility systems through research, resources, events, and membership.                  

The Boston College Workforce Roundtable supports many of the world’s leading employers by facilitating a learning and networking community. The Roundtable provides corporate partners with access to contemporary research and thought leadership on progressive human resource practices and workplace cultures. Roundtable partners are leaders across a broad range of sectors, including accounting and professional services, insurance, healthcare, technology, hospitality, energy, and higher education. All share a common desire to implement policies and strategies that increase productivity and develop employees both personally and professionally.

In today's 24/7 global economy, it has become increasingly difficult for employees to balance their careers with their personal lives. At the same time organizations are challenged to meet the needs of their employees while improving products and services, responding to customer needs, meeting financial expectations and maintaining high business ethics.
Brad Harrington, Executive Director

Our History

2015: Center Celebrates 25th Anniversary (2015)

In conjunction with it’s 25th Anniversary Celebration, the Center releases its research report on how Millennials navigate their careers and recognizes four founding members (Bristol-MyersSquibb, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Marriott International) for support of the Center’s since its beginning.    


2009: Center Launches The New Dad Series

With support from corporate members, the Center launches The New Dad, an 8-year research project studying the changing role of fathers at home and in the workplace. The series makes the Center one of the most cited sources for information on working dads in the US. In all, more than 4000 fathers have participated in the Center’s fatherhood research.


2006: Center Launches the Global Roundtable

In response to the growing need for more resources on global workforce management issues, the Center launches the Global Roundtable in 2006. Meetings are held in the Brazil, China, the UK, and USA. The Roundtable also spawns the Global Executive Briefing Series.


2001: Dr. Brad Harrington Named Executive Director

Brad Harrington, former human resource and organization development executive at Hewlett-Packard, becomes the Center’s Executive Director and a research professor in the Carroll School.


1997: Center Moves to Boston College

The Center moves from the Boston University School of Social Work to the Carroll School of Management at Boston College.


 1997: Work-Family Research Network Established

With support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Director Marcie Pitt-Catsouphes launches the Work-Family Researchers Network (WFRN). Since 2010, has hosted the world’s largest conference of work-family researchers and scholars.


 1992: NEWFA Established

The Center establishes the New England Work & Family Association (NEWFA) to help regional employers understand and address the complex work-life challenges facing the workforce.


 1990: Work & Family Roundtable Established

The Center creates a corporate Roundtable, providing leadership to shape corporate and public responses to the demands of work, home and community in order to enhance employee effectiveness.


1990: Center Founded

Dr. Bradley Googins, Professor of Social Work at Boston University founds the Center for Work & Family in concert with 10 corporate founding members.