Five Reasons to Invest in a First-Generation Professional Talent Strategy

Recruiting/HiringFrom the Founder
Written By Michelle Hoover

We at Baem Leadership have made it our mission to shine a light on the experiences and potential of First-Generation Professionals (FGPs)—individuals who are among the first in their immediate families to obtain a four-year college degree and/or to obtain a higher level professional position than what was held by either parent. (This definition is derived from the US Department of Commerce’s description of FGPs … and we’ll likely evolve it. More on that later.)1 With the literature on this category of employees still being developed, BCG has been an early thought leader in the space. They have published a piece touting the benefits of engaging FGP employees, which has been great validation for us and confirms we’re on the leading edge of this thinking.2 Our own research study—designed to help companies identify and develop their populations of FGPs, accelerating their development and strengthening companies’ talent pipelines in the process—is underway, and we look forward to publishing our findings. In the meantime, here are five details about FGPs that warrant employer focus:

1. First-generation college students (FGCS) become FGPs—and FGCSs are the majority of undergraduates.

According to FirstGen Forward, a nonprofit focusing on driving first-generation student success, 56 percent of undergraduates in the United States are first-generation college students—students with parents or guardians without four-year college degrees. 3 To put this percentage into context, in the fall of 2021, the total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States was 15.4 million, making the total of FGCS a little more than 8.6 million. 4

FGCSs-turned-FGPs make up a significant portion of the pools of potential talent. Employers would benefit from understanding what FGPs are looking for in a workplace to inform their talent identification, attraction, and retention strategies.

2. FGPs are loyal employees

According to BCG, FGPs working in companies with more than a thousand employees are 32 percent more likely to exhibit a heightened sense of loyalty toward their employer.5 This increased loyalty is particularly noteworthy because it brings substantial benefits to companies: Such employees are more inclined to remain with the company long-term and are also more likely to recommend it to potential new hires. This not only helps in retaining highly dedicated employees but also contributes to attracting new talent, thereby bolstering the company's overall workforce.

3. FGPs are more intrinsically motivated and likelier to pursue leadership positions than their counterparts

BCG states that FGPs outpace their peers by 40 percent in their ability to stay driven without needing external prompts to perform effectively.6 They also demonstrate a greater adaptability to diverse work environments, requiring fewer specific conditions to excel. Additionally, their intrinsic drive often leads to increased persistence and enhanced creativity, which not only benefits their personal growth but also enhances company performance. This strong intrinsic drive translates into a 59 percent higher likelihood for self-motivated FGPs to advance to management roles compared to their less motivated counterparts. In contrast, similarly self-motivated professionals from continuing-generation backgrounds experience only an 11 percent higher chance of reaching management levels, highlighting the distinct drive of self-motivated FGPs to take on leadership responsibilities.

4. The first-generation college student identity is not controversial.

At a time when diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are being shelved because of pushback, first-generation college student initiatives are being celebrated universally. Case in point: In November 2023, Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Democrat from Georgia, and Sen. Roger Marshall, a Republican from Kansas, together introduced a resolution that “honors first-generation students and commemorates the legislative achievements that have provided resources for them.” 7 The resolution was cosponsored by a bipartisan collection of twenty additional senators and passed, making Nov. 8, 2023, ​​“National First-Generation College Celebration Day.”

5. The first-generation experience spans many ethnicities, genders, and people of an array of abilities.

Being an FGP means that a person is the first in their family to navigate and succeed in the previously unexperienced worlds of collegiate and corporate life–therefore, the descriptor’s only implication on identity is related to socioeconomic status. At a time when companies are struggling to commit to equity, inclusion, and diversity initiatives because of political pressure–but realize the benefits of diverse workforces–strategies centering FGPs, whose identities are experience-centered, are worth considering. 

We look forward to adding to this list once we complete our research. In the meantime, if your talent team would like to explore what FGP-focused strategies for leadership development and talent attraction, development, and retention could look like, please reach out to us at hello@baemleadership.com.

Resources

7

"Senators Reverend Warnock, Marshall Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Celebrating First-Generation College Students." Rev. Raphael Warnock, U.S. for Georgia Press Releases. https://www.warnock.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/senators-reverend-warnock-marshall-introduce-bipartisan-resolution-celebrating-first-generation-college-students
Michelle Hoover https://www.baemleadership.com
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