A new workforce analytics project, Where You Work Matters, grades 1,750 of America's largest employers based on the actual career outcomes of their workers, using a database of 12 million career histories. The findings, discussed in the latest episode of the podcast You Should Know, hosted by William Tincup of WRKdefined, reveal that only 22 companies earned Platinum ratings across all measured categories, underscoring how few employers truly foster career growth.
The research, led by Matt Sigelman, president of the Burning Glass Institute, and Rajiv Chandrasekaran of the Schultz Family Foundation, measures promotion velocity, retention, pay growth, and regrettable turnover across 1,800 companies. Sigelman explained the methodology: "If two people start in the same role at directly competing firms, how likely are they each to move up? How likely are they each to stay? How does their pay change over time?" This approach cuts through employer marketing claims to focus on empirical outcomes.
The timing is critical as entry-level roles are eroding, a trend highlighted in a recent Harvard Business Review article. The disappearance of these roles threatens the future talent pipeline, making it harder for workers to start careers and for companies to build a skilled workforce. The study also introduces the concept of "mobility muscle," showing how firms like Procter & Gamble, Lockheed Martin, Salesforce, Apple, and Whole Foods rank role by role.
The findings challenge conventional wisdom. For example, of the hundreds of firms employing financial analysts, only 27 rated as great across early career, growth, and stability stages, and just six of those were in banking or financial services. Standouts included General Mills, Liberty Mutual, and Nike. At Whole Foods, food preparation workers fare surprisingly well because prepared foods drive margin, indicating that industry dynamics matter in career outcomes.
Tincup pushed back on traditional HR metrics, arguing that regrettable turnover—employees leaving for better opportunities—is more telling than raw turnover. Chandrasekaran and Sigelman agreed, adding that transparency benefits workers by helping them make informed decisions. Chandrasekaran noted that conversations with CHROs at top-rated firms reveal that intentional manager discussions about career trajectory are the practice that separates leaders from laggards.
The implications for workers, HR leaders, and the broader economy are significant. For job seekers, especially the class of 2026, the site now offers an occupation finder tool that surfaces roughly 6,000 highly rated entry-level openings, helping them target employers that truly invest in career development. For employers, the data provides a benchmark to identify gaps in their own practices and improve retention and promotion outcomes.
As AI reshapes hiring and entry-level roles vanish, this research offers a data-driven path forward. By highlighting which companies build careers, Where You Work Matters empowers workers to choose employers that will support their growth, while pressuring all firms to prioritize career development or risk losing talent to better-performing competitors.
