One of workplace tragedy in America is how we moved from professionally managed pensions to individual 401k retirement plans. Most folks have no business deciding asset allocation, managing risk, etc.
Ultimately maybe only something market-based is realistic. Yet if we must do that then I'd prefer gov workers be forced to use the same system. Also 401Ks being born out of a carve out for executives feels like an awkward fit for regular employees. Perhaps a unified system not tied to employment could be the best of both worlds.
I've also heard things that sound like they tend to have sharp eligibility cutoffs or amount calculations. There aren't issues with a 401k if I keep changing employers every few years. And you can't play stupid games with taking lots of overtime for your final year to boost retirement benefits beyond what they "should" be.