The latest American Opportunity Index 2024 reports mixed results on how well the nation’s top employers are doing in advancing the careers of their workforce.
On one hand, the Index finds that many firms beyond the technology and financial services industries, including those in the energy and resource-related sectors, are succeeding at providing pathways to career opportunity for workers.
The Index shows that the nation’s top employers are paying and promoting workers at more than double the rate that their competitors are for the same types of jobs.
However, overall, it also shows that a majority of the 100 companies studied companies did not increase hiring of early career and non-college workers, and 60% of firms on the list decreased promotion
opportunities.
Now in its third year, the American Opportunity Index is a first-of-its-kind assessment that measures how well companies are investing in talent to unlock the full potential of their workforce.
The Schultz Family Foundation launched the nonprofit project in 2022 in partnership with Burning Glass Institute and Harvard Business School to help workers access which large U.S. companies are doing the best to advance the careers of their employees and grow the middle class in an evolving labor market.
Topping this year’s ranking are: W.W. Grainger, Costco Wholesale, Capital One Financial, Meta Platforms, ServiceNow, J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, MetLife, and Bank of America.