Under the Microscope: Exploring the Workplace Embeddedness of Young Black Professionals in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Careers

In recent years, the agricultural industry has been working to improve the retention of their newly hired Black employees. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, millennial employees across the United States have voluntarily left their jobs in favor of hybrid or remote work, better benefits, or improved work environments. Today, the median tenure of millennials is only 2.8 years on the job, and research has shown that Black employees are 30% more likely to leave their positions than White employees. The agriculture, food, and natural resources (AFNR) sector is more heavily represented in rural America, where the Black population makes up just 7.8% and the White population comprises 78.2%. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the workplace embeddedness experiences of young Black professionals early in their AFNR careers. Job Embeddedness Theory informed the study and seven young Black AFNR professionals participated. Initial, structural, and pattern coding techniques were used to analyze the data, and three major conclusions emerged. First, many young Black professionals have chosen a career in the AFNR sector because they desire to engage with meaningful work related to the agricultural industry. Second, participants had to overcome many obstacles related to their age or race that impacted their abilities to become more embedded in their workplaces or communities. Finally, an extensive network of linkages to other Black professionals at work or in the community provides young Black professionals with more substantial support and visibility. Implications for theory and practice are provided, along with recommendations for future research.