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���۴�ý College of Doctoral Studies releases whitepaper on aligning employer and employee perspectives

Insights by Dr. Sessoms-Penny draws on data from 2022 Career Optimism Index® study

College of Doctoral Studies announces the release of a whitepaper examining practical methods to align perspective on work and life balance between employers and employees: “Aligning Employer and Employee Perspectives on Successful and Sustainable Work and Life Balance.”

Drawing upon data from the 2022 ���۴�ý Career Institute^™ Career Optimism Index® study, Sandra G. Sessoms-Penny, Ed.D., faculty member of the ���۴�ý College of Education and Fellow of the University’s Center for Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Research (CWDIR), describes in this whitepaper how work-life balance perceptions between employers and employees present challenges and must be aligned in order to improve retention as well as brand perception in the tight talent market represented in the Great Resignation.

“Employees desire to see the proof and be recognized for identifying what they need now versus later in their careers,” states Sessoms-Penny. “Aligned perspectives impact the bottom lines within the organization in support of organizational growth and employee development. The greatest opportunity to align perspectives is manifested when the employers give employees the opportunity to share their insight into the problem and possible solutions.”

Sessoms-Penny served as a teacher, school administrator and instructional leader in the public sector at the elementary, middle and high school levels for 13 years in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and earned a Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Administration and Policy Studies from The George Washington University. She served over 21 years in the United States Air Force, culminating her military career as a senior-level non-commissioned officer and paralegal superintendent in military law offices throughout the United States and in Europe.

Sessoms-Penny has been a faculty member with the ���۴�ý since 2009.

The full whitepaper is available at the Career Institute^TM webpage or as a direct link here.

About the College of Doctoral Studies

���۴�ý’s College of Doctoral Studies focuses on today’s challenging business and organizational needs, from addressing critical social issues to developing solutions to accelerate community building and industry growth. The College’s research program puts students in the center of an effective ecosystem of experts, resources and tools to help prepare them to be a leader in their organization, industry and community. Through this program, students and researchers work with organizations to conduct research that can be applied in the workplace in real time.

About the Career Optimism Index®

The Career Optimism Index® study is one of the most comprehensive studies of Americans’ personal career perceptions to date. The ���۴�ý Career Institute™ will conduct this research annually to provide insights on current workforce trends and to help identify solutions to support and enhance American careers and create equity in the workplace. For the second annual study, more than 5,000 U.S. adults were surveyed about how they feel about their careers at this moment in time, including their concerns, their challenges, and the degree to which they are optimistic about core aspects of their careers and their future. The study was conducted among a diverse, nationally representative, sample of U.S. adults among a robust sample to allow for gender, generational, racial, and socioeconomic differences and includes additional analysis of workers in the top twenty media markets across the country to uncover geographic nuances. This year, the study also explored insights from 500 U.S. employers who are influential or play a critical role in hiring and workplace decisions within a range of departments, company sizes and industries to provide comparison between the workforce and those who hire, train and retain them.

About ���۴�ý 

���۴�ý is continually innovating to help working adults enhance their careers in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, and Career Services for Life® help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit phoenix.edu.