Hypothesis: FGPs Are More Engaged People Leaders

We at Baem Leadership began our research on First-Generation Professionals in 2022 with qualitative interviews with FGPs. Our goal was to understand whether, first, the FGP identity was a real thing and, second, if there were any commonalities among FGPs’ workplace experiences. As FGPs are a little-known demographic, we were operating on hunches and insights based on our lived experiences. After more than a dozen interviews, we concluded yes to both.

We have launched phase two of our research, directed at two groups of FGPs: those who are one to three years into their careers and those who have at least fifteen years of work experience. Research on the former group will clarify how companies can invest in FGPs in various phases of the employee experience to keep these employees from derailing and help them stay engaged. Findings on the latter group will identify what worked to keep these employees committed and motivated. While this phase of the research is focused on scale and therefore will rely on surveys for data collection, the stories told in the phase one interviews are resonant in our minds, especially as we consider how BCG found that FGPs are 48 percent likelier to pursue management positions in later stages of their career if they are intrinsically motivated—and FGPs are 40 percent more likely to be intrinsically motivated than their continuing-generation counterparts. (Our theory is that FGPs would pursue these leadership positions earlier in their careers if they had more established networks and the social capital and confidence to do so. Pursuing these positions later on is a result of building a track record and the commensurate confidence, in addition to gaining the awareness that these kinds of roles are indeed within their reach, we posit.)¹ Our conversations with FGPs from our phase one research are the foundation of our theory that FGPs in leadership roles are committed to their responsibilities as people leaders:

FGP Study Participant One: Black Woman, Immigrant, 40s

“First, what you have to make clear as a manager is that this employee matters; you have to make clear that ‘I want you. I want you on the team.’… You have to make it feel possible for that person –  that you know what the next step is and that you want to go there with them. The second thing is to really take time to coach your employees.”

FGP Study Participant Two: Black Man, 30s

“Being an FGP has made me conscious of people’s different upbringings, or backgrounds, and opportunities that may be presented. So now I try to be very open to the experiences of those that work with me and for me, and I try to have open conversations … and I find that helps me to build deeper relationships. And as a result, I get higher productivity, because people feel like I care about them, which is true. I do. … I recognize that opportunity comes to those who are willing to work for it and kind of be vulnerable enough to say, ‘Hey, I want that.’ … Sometimes people don't realize to whom they need to say, ‘Hey, I want that’ or they don't feel comfortable calling, calling on someone to ask for an opportunity. So I just try to make sure that the doors are open and that people know, ‘Hey, as the leader of your team, I am here to serve you.’ ”

FGP Study Participant Three: Hispanic Woman, Immigrant, 40s

“I was a little bit nervous [when I first became] a supervisor. I would go back to my interior drive, like, ‘I have to do it.’ It gave me confidence that my boss would trust me with this task. And at the same time, [there was this feeling that] I really have to make the best of it and not let her down and make sure that they learn what they were supposed to learn. Overall, I think of myself as that FGP, motivated to be the best or making sure that I was being that leader that I needed to be for these two women.”

FGP Study Participant Four: White Man, 60s

“The experiences I've had with great leaders, great bosses, great colleagues mitigated the challenges of being an FGP. People who are kind people, who are understanding people who want to see you succeed. As an FGP myself, I experienced firsthand how impactful it is to be around those kinds of people—people who care about you as a person and as a professional and are looking out for your growth. That’s what’s inspired me as a leader—because I felt so much not having professional people who could guide me in my family and inner circle—and shaped how I lead teams and people.” 

As stated earlier, FGPs are an under-researched population, and there is much to learn about their experiences and strengths and how they can be leveraged in the white-collar world. We’re only just beginning; we look forward to sharing our findings and discovering more to investigate. 

Meantime, if you’re interested in participating in our phase two study, comment below and we’ll send you the survey. 

Resources

1

"Hiding in Plain Sight: First-Generation Professionals," BCG. https://web-assets.bcg.com/49/9c/184a60f14ed9b17f8fabfd7c9d6c/hiding-in-plain-sight-first-generation-professionals-bcg-study.pdf