In an era where entry-level roles are vanishing and artificial intelligence reshapes hiring, a new study offers hard data on which employers actually foster career growth. The Burning Glass Institute and the Schultz Family Foundation have expanded their “Where You Work Matters” project, analyzing 12 million career histories across 1,800 companies. The findings, discussed in a recent episode of the “You Should Know” podcast, grade major employers on promotion velocity, retention, pay growth, and regrettable turnover—providing a stark reality check for HR leaders and job seekers.
Matt Sigelman, president of the Burning Glass Institute, 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 to focus on empirical outcomes. The project grades 1,750 of America’s largest employers, with only 22 earning Platinum ratings across all measured categories.
The study’s implications are significant. Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Managing Director of the Schultz Family Foundation, noted that the disappearance of entry-level jobs, as flagged in a recent Harvard Business Review article, threatens the future talent pipeline. The research highlights the concept of “mobility muscle”—the ability of companies to move workers up—and reveals that some employers are far better than others. For instance, among hundreds of firms employing financial analysts, only 27 rated as great across early career, growth, and stability stages, and just six were in banking or financial services. Standouts included General Mills, Liberty Mutual, and Nike.
Host William Tincup of WRKdefined challenged conventional HR wisdom, arguing that regrettable turnover—when good employees leave—is the metric that truly matters. Sigelman and Chandrasekaran agreed, adding that transparency benefits workers. Chandrasekaran cited conversations with CHROs at top-rated firms, who pointed to intentional manager conversations about career trajectory as the key differentiator.
The findings have practical applications. The project’s website now offers an occupation finder tool for the class of 2026, surfacing roughly 6,000 highly rated entry-level openings. For HR leaders, the data provides a benchmark to improve career development. For job seekers, it offers a way to choose employers that invest in their people. As AI continues to disrupt traditional career ladders, this research underscores the importance of deliberate career pathing.
The episode is available now, and the full dataset can be explored at whereyouworkmatters.org. The conversation is a must-listen for anyone interested in how businesses treat their people.
