Is Private Equity the Untapped Force to Create Millions of Quality Jobs?

As the national conversation intensifies around creating more quality jobs in the U.S. economy, a powerful but often overlooked ally has emerged: private equity. With nearly 12 million employees working in PE-owned portfolio companies, private equity firms hold a unique opportunity to drive substantial change by prioritizing talent investment and workforce development within those companies. Unlike other investors, private equity firms have a high degree of influence due to their ownership control and long-term stakes in businesses. In 2020, companies owned by private equity firms employed a significant portion of the U.S. workforce and contributed to 6.5% of the nation’s GDP. Moreover, the majority of these firms are deeply embedded in small and midsize businesses, where the potential to improve job quality could have far-reaching effects—not just for workers, but for entire industries and communities.

This panel will explore how private equity can play a transformative role in shaping the future of work. By focusing on strategies that improve pay, benefits, working conditions, and employee empowerment (including employee ownership models), private equity firms could serve as a powerful multiplier of impact, driving job quality improvements that benefit millions of workers across the country. The time to act is now—and private equity firms have a crucial role to play in this cross-sector effort to unlock a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous future for the U.S. workforce.