We need to talk about first-generation professionals

Words / Jess Stillman

When it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts, managers often focus on factors such as ethnicity or gender. But according to a growing number of DEI professionals, there’s another group that managers might want to consider too: first-generation professionals.

A first-generation professional (or FGP for short) is someone who is the first in their family to hold a professional, white-collar job. They often come from diverse backgrounds, and recent studies have shown that they tend to feel less valued and included at work than those with deeper roots in the professional world.

So, why does the management lexicon need this new term, which is increasingly being used in the US? Experts argue that thinking in terms of FGPs – rather than more traditional language around “socio-economic background” – helps remove stigma, illuminate barriers faced by professional newcomers, and focus attention on how leaders can help them succeed.

Karen Hinds

We spoke with Karen Hinds, a DEI expert and CEO of the Workplace Success Group (who is herself an FGP), about the challenges faced by this often overlooked group and how managers can best help them thrive.

Why is it helpful for managers to think in terms of FGPs?

It’s important for them to know that FGPs are trying to figure out how to learn the unwritten rules. They don’t really have people they can depend on to help them figure out the nuances of work within a white-collar environment. Managers need to be mindful of that.

Can you give a few examples of things that might be difficult initially for those entering this type of environment for the first time?

A lot of FGPs have been told to work hard, get a degree, and everything is going to unfold magically. What you quickly realise is the value of your network. You spend a lot of time just trying to get through the education system, and nobody’s really there to say that your network is a critical part of your professional development.

We take for granted that people who are coming into the workplace understand how to move up in a corporate environment. But the barrier comes when there aren’t any mentors to show that person how it’s done. What often happens is people say, “That person has sharp elbows”. It’s not that they have sharp elbows. They just don’t know how to navigate their environment.

You yourself are an FGP. Could you share a little bit about your own early experiences entering the corporate world?

I felt like a foreigner in so many ways. It was an eye-opening experience. I didn’t know how to advance, how to build relationships or how to conduct myself in social settings.

Where I grew up, you were taught not to toot your own horn. That’s different in corporate spaces. You have to become visible, so you have to make that shift from waiting for somebody to tap you on the shoulder to being confident enough to recognise that it is acceptable to elevate yourself. In the very beginning, I struggled with not just keeping your head down and hoping magic is going to happen – because you can work really hard and still be in the same place 10 years down the line.

What are some concrete things managers might want to consider doing to support FGPs in their teams?

I tell every manager that their goal is to grow their people. While we need to pay attention to the needs of FGPs, if you are a good manager, you should be doing that for everyone.

My parents used to be farmers. They would be growing bananas, oranges and sweet potatoes. The goal was always the same – to get the product ready for shipment – but the approach was different. When the bananas are at a certain maturation level, you have to put a plastic bag over them. You can’t do that for oranges. Likewise, we can’t use a broad brush for every employee.

What managers need to do is sit down and figure out, “Who do I have in front of me and what are their specific needs? What are their career aspirations?” Start by telling people that it’s OK to speak up. Make sure that they’re taking advantage of the resources that are available to help them grow and excel, and make sure they understand the need to have a mentor. Also, explain to them that the way to move up is not always a vertical move. It could be getting involved in special projects or stretch assignments. What managers should be doing for FGPs is what every professional wants.

There’s this idea of hiring for “cultural fit”. Is that problematic?

If you’re looking for someone who fits into your culture, perhaps you’re less likely to hire an FGP… I’ve moved away from encouraging managers to hire for cultural fit because often, when we hire for cultural fit, the culture is people who play golf or are from certain universities. We’ve seen across a number of clients that when they hire for cultural fit, over time everybody has the exact same lifestyle. And if you’re looking to go into new markets, then your culture doesn’t prepare you.

We’re also finding that some of our clients are eliminating certain requirements because they’re not necessary to perform the job. You might have someone who has 15 years of experience doing a particular job, but because they don’t have a Master’s degree, they can’t get it. Ensure that you’re hiring for what your company needs to take it to the next level.

Being successful as an FGP means learning the codes of your organisation. But authenticity is valuable too. How do you think about that balance between adapting but also staying true to your authentic self?

That’s one of the big areas where FGPs often struggle. I know I did. When you’re at home, you’re one way, and when you’re in the corporate world, you have to almost become somebody else. You change the way you speak, the way you dress, the way you interact with people. You have this delicate dance of “Which identity do I bring to work that’s safe enough that I can keep moving up the ladder?” It can be something as simple as hair. For a lot of black women, they don’t wear their natural hair because it’s seen as unprofessional. How do you bring your authentic self to work when your colleagues think that your natural hair is unprofessional?

So, have one-on-one conversations with employees. Find out who they are. Don’t make assumptions and don’t judge. They may do things differently on the weekend. They may eat different foods. They may speak differently, but give them the space to exist in a non-judgmental way. Learn about them instead of trying to put them into the box of, “This is what an employee should look like”.

Is there anything else that managers need to know about FGPs?

Some managers, when they hear “FGP”, think you have to give a handout. That’s not what this is about. These people are learning how to play a game that they haven’t been taught the rules of. How do you, as a manager, teach them how to play that game? Because the person who understands the rules and plays better wins.