A clear message about career responsibility is challenging long-held expectations between workers and employers.
The CEO of McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD). Chris Kempczinski recently shared a video on Instagram encouraging workers to rethink who is responsible for career progress and advancement, warning that traditional “employment agreements” no longer apply in today’s job market. He also acknowledged that the advice might hurt your feelings, and saw it as practical guidance rather than criticism.
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“No one cares about your career as much as you do,” Kempczinski said, warning that expecting someone else to create opportunities could be wrong. 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 in many workplaces. Gallup’s “American Job Quality Study”, a study of more than 18,000 American workers, published on October 15, found that one in four employees say they have no opportunities for career advancement.
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At the same time, forecasts indicate that job growth may continue to slow in 2026 amid increasing 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. Trade unions remain a major exception by securing the formal “employment agreement” that is disappearing elsewhere. Through collective bargaining, workers replace individual uncertainty with negotiated contracts that guarantee wage transparency and job security.
For example, members of the United Auto Workers union ratified a five-year labor agreement on September 19 with GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE), which covers employees at facilities in Ohio and Kentucky. The agreement followed a separate four-year contract previously ratified 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 tenure-linked job protections, providing the kind of structured advancement that is becoming rarer in the non-unionized sector.