A blunt message about career responsibility is challenging long-held expectations between workers and employers.
McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) CEO Chris Kempczinski recently shared a video on Instagram urging workers to rethink who is responsible for career progress and advancement, while warning that traditional “employment deals” no longer apply in today’s labor market. He also acknowledged the advice might “hurt your feelings,” framing it as practical guidance rather than criticism.
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“Nobody cares about your career as much as you do,” Kempczinski said, cautioning that expecting someone else to create opportunities can be misguided. He added that workers should take primary responsibility for their own career progress rather than relying on employers to do it for them.
He said that while opportunities can arise through others, progress depends on taking action personally rather than waiting for direction.
Career progression has become less structured across many workplaces. Gallup’s “American Job Quality Study,” a study of more than 18,000 U.S. workers, published Oct. 15, found that one in four employees say they lack opportunities for career advancement.
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At the same time, forecasts indicate job growth could slow further in 2026 amid rising uncertainty. Tariff pressures and labor market caution were cited as contributing factors, according to Investopedia.
Kempczinski’s message reflects a shift toward individual career ownership. Labor unions remain a key exception by securing the formal “employment deals” that are fading elsewhere. Through collective bargaining, workers replace individual uncertainty with negotiated contracts that guarantee wage transparency and job security.
For example, United Auto Workers union members ratified a five-year labor deal on Sept. 19 with GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE), covering employees at facilities in Ohio and Kentucky. The agreement followed a separate four-year contract ratified earlier by the IUE-CWA, meaning two union contracts now govern GE Aerospace workers.
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The agreement followed a strike and included negotiated wage progression schedules and job protections tied to tenure, providing the type of structured advancement that is becoming rarer in the non-unionized sector.