“SOCIAL CAPITAL WORKS”
The Social Capital Campaign today publishes its latest report on social capital and work.
For individuals, work funds what they want to do outside of work: namely, have friends, find a spouse, start a family, and enjoy their communities. For employers, social capital means an ample supply of reliable workers and dependable repeat customers. For policymakers, social capital provides the “trust” that undergirds a governable society. In short, “Social Capital Works.”
However, America continues to experience a decline in social capital—
The share of children growing up without both parents in America today is three times the global average
The share of adults with no close friends has grown from 3 percent in 1990 to 12 percent in 2021
The number of prime-age working adults (18-54 years) who are unpartnered, neither married nor cohabiting, is up from 29 percent in 1990 to 38 percent in 2019, totaling nearly 4 in 10 prime-age working adults
Despite record hours volunteered and money donated, the volunteering rate has declined: in rural areas from 30.9 percent in 2003 to 25.2 percent in 2015; in suburban communities from 30.1 percent to 25.3 percent.
The paper asks whether work contributes to this decline, where surveys and scholarship suggest it could: with many saying work hours, commuting times, inflexible scheduling, and demands from employers mean the social capital building is put on hold, for some indefinitely.
We suggest a number of ways employers can help people invest in friendships, neighborhoods, and family. Proposals include:
Adding a “social capital footprint” measure in ESG scores–companies that support an individual’s aspirations to marry, have a family, and connect to their community should get a boost. If ESG is here to stay, let’s make it works to support the personal and private aspirations of employees and workers
Adopting voluntary “Paid Family Leave” HR policies across sectors so that getting married and starting a family doesn’t need to be sacrificed to stay in work
Improving welfare by recognizing the therapeutic benefits of work so those far from work and social capital have the chance to build vital assets, whereas America’s current benefit programs only further isolate non-working men from the crucial avenues to a flourishing life.
The paper also anticipates changes with an incoming digital economy. Where there is concern that big tech could erode social capital, there are some practical proposals to help ensure digital builds social capital and provides jobs for lower-skilled and lower paid works, including:
Tax credits for research and development in the use of artificial intelligence that improves job roles
Promoting the role of automation within the public sector so that the delivery of government services matches expectations raised by the private sector to boost citizen engagement
Pushing for greater broadband access across the United States and
Boosting digital skills vocational training at secondary and lifelong learning venues
Marco Ambrosio, Chris Bullivant, Patrick Brown, Jane Oates, Peyton Roth
December, 2022
How work can better build social capital in America today.
Marco Ambrosio is an innovation and strategy consultant helping companies and teams optimize their products, services, and performance. Previously, Marco was an Innovation Executive at conversational AI pioneer LivePerson and a strategy consultant at Publicis.Sapient. Marco earned a M.P.H. from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and a B.A. in Social Justice in Latin America from Fairfield University. He is a StartingBloc 2011 fellow.
Chris Bullivant is the director of the Social Capital Campaign. Previously he helped to establish the London-based online commentary magazine UnHerd and two think tanks: U.K. 2020 focused on improving environmental policy and global food security, and the Centre for Social Justice developed a welfare policy platform implemented by the then incoming Prime Minister. His commentary has been published in USA Today, The American Conservative and UnHerd.
Patrick T. Brown is a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. His writing has been published in The New York Times, National Review, Politico, The Washington Post, and USA Today with research published by the Institute for Family Studies and American Compass. Patrick serves on the Advisory Boards of the Social Capital Campaign, Humanity Forward, and the Center on Child and Family Policy and was previously Senior Policy Advisor to Congress’ Joint Economic Committee ( JEC).
Jane Oates is President of Working Nation raising awareness about the challenges facing the American workforce. A former U.S. Department of Labor official, Jane served as Assistant Secretary for the Employment and Training Administration under Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis after being nominated for the position by President Barack Obama in 2009. Prior to her appointment, Jane was Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and a senior advisor to Governor Jon S. Corzine. She served for nearly a decade as senior policy advisor for Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
Peyton Roth is a policy researcher who lives and works in Washington, D.C. He studies human agency and how interactions with core institutions shape key life decisions and outcomes. He has produced original research on topics ranging from family formation to paid- leave policy. He has been published in National Review and The American Conservative and is an Adviser to the Social Capital Campaign. Peyton earned a B.S. in political science and chemistry from Furman University, where he graduated summa cum laude.
