New ‘Yardstick’ Aims to Help HR Teams Understand the Quality of Jobs Inside Their Companies

Key Takeaways

• Dataset covers 12 million workers across 1,750 U.S. employers.
• Grades evaluate early‑career, growth, and stability outcomes.
• No fees; companies aren’t required to submit surveys.
• Annual updates ensure relevance amid evolving labor market.
• HR leaders gain competitive benchmarking across occupations.

Summary

HR leaders now have a new benchmarking tool called the Where You Work Matters List, created by the American Opportunity Index, the Schultz Family Foundation, Burning Glass Institute, and Harvard Business School. The dataset analyzes career progression, compensation, and stability for over 12 million workers across 55,000 occupations at 1,750 large U.S. employers. Companies receive grades on early‑career opportunities, career growth, and job stability without submitting surveys or paying fees. The list will be refreshed at least annually, giving HR teams a transparent yardstick to compare their job quality against peers.

Pulse Analysis

The rise of data‑centric HR tools reflects a broader shift toward quantifying employee experience beyond traditional satisfaction surveys. Existing employer rankings often rely on self‑reported inputs or marketing spend, limiting their credibility. By aggregating millions of public data points from LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor, and labor research, the Where You Work Matters List offers a third‑party, outcomes‑based perspective that directly ties job quality to measurable career trajectories.

Methodologically, the list draws on career progression and compensation records for more than 12 million workers, clustering them into 55,000 occupational categories across 1,750 large firms. Each employer receives scores in three dimensions—early‑career opportunities, career growth, and job stability—culminating in an overall grade. Because participation is automatic and fee‑free, the rankings avoid the bias of pay‑to‑play models, delivering an apples‑to‑apples comparison that HR leaders can overlay onto internal metrics for deeper insight.

For businesses, the implications are immediate. A clear benchmark enables talent teams to pinpoint where they excel or lag, informing targeted investments in leadership development, compensation structures, or retention programs. Moreover, public visibility of job‑quality grades can enhance employer branding, attract high‑potential candidates, and even influence policy discussions around workforce mobility. With annual updates, the list promises to stay aligned with evolving labor trends, making it a strategic asset for any organization committed to building high‑quality jobs.