What if we had a "portable" defined benefit pension? Something you could "see" on your phone (with payout estimates) and you could take from job to job like an IRA? Employers could offer contributions to your defined benefit, portable pension as part of a larger benefits package - your account grows, and you get a payout based on years of service, etc. The benefit could end up being some fixed percentage based on a high-five years of earning - but unlike with public sector jobs which handcuff you with pensions you only get if you stay in the same state/locality for years, you'd keep this no matter where you worked.