Generational experiences of career progression barriers and self-efficacy in Black professionals: Goals, expectations, and failures

Generational experiences of career progression barriers and self-efficacy in Black professionals: Goals, expectations, and failures

Oral (LUO Remote) - Applied

Career progression is a challenging process that requires time and effort. Today, the so-called corporate ladder has become much harder to climb. Professionals are now looking for opportunities for fast career growth; the desire for a ‘job for life’ no longer exists. Black professionals remain significantly underrepresented in mid- to senior-level management positions, despite the ever-increasing diversity rate in the United States over recent years. Generation X (born 1965-1980) and Millennials (born 1981-1996) are more motivated by progression in one’s career, while Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) are more motivated by power in the workplace, and Gen Z (born 1997-2012) are looking for more flexibility and independence at work (Lyons et al., 2012; Perry, 2023). Each generation may have different goals in the workplace, yet these Black professionals are still facing barriers in achieving what they want. This adds additional time and stress on an already difficult journey. Self-efficacy is an important trait for goal setting; believing in one’s ability to perform well can motivate them to put forth effort into achieving their goals (Kane et al., 2021; Miller & Kass, 2019). The purpose of this mixed-methods research study is to examine the types of career progression barriers that each generational group of Black professionals are facing. The project will attempt to measure the strength of the relationship between barriers and self-efficacy (high vs low). For this study, a quantitative and thematic analysis will be used to identify the types of career progression barriers faced. A Chi-Square test will be used to measure the strength of the relationship between the barriers and self-efficacy.