TY - JOUR
T1 - Work re-entry following maternity leave for first-time mothers
T2 - An events, social identity and intersectional theories informed identity work framework
AU - Cross, Christine
AU - Darcy, Colette
AU - Garavan, Thomas
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Gender, Work & Organization published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Many first-time mothers experience significant identity issues on work re-entry following maternity leave, an important individual and life-related event. Work re-entry prompts significant identity tensions leading to identity work challenges and potential career changes. We address this significant life event and develop a subjective identity informed conceptual framework explaining its key components and outcomes. We propose that for first-time mothers, re-entry following maternity leave triggers a cognitive and subjective assessment of identity threat and opportunity leading to the use of multiple identity work strategies to address personal, role, and collective identities. We analyze the impacts of these reworked identities and identity work for career decision making and outcomes. We theoretically underpin our framework using event systems, a subjective perspective on social identity and intersectional theories and in doing so, propose future research questions and highlight implications for national policy and organizational practices.
AB - Many first-time mothers experience significant identity issues on work re-entry following maternity leave, an important individual and life-related event. Work re-entry prompts significant identity tensions leading to identity work challenges and potential career changes. We address this significant life event and develop a subjective identity informed conceptual framework explaining its key components and outcomes. We propose that for first-time mothers, re-entry following maternity leave triggers a cognitive and subjective assessment of identity threat and opportunity leading to the use of multiple identity work strategies to address personal, role, and collective identities. We analyze the impacts of these reworked identities and identity work for career decision making and outcomes. We theoretically underpin our framework using event systems, a subjective perspective on social identity and intersectional theories and in doing so, propose future research questions and highlight implications for national policy and organizational practices.
KW - career outcomes
KW - events systems theory
KW - identity threats and opportunities
KW - intersectional theory
KW - maternity leave
KW - return to work
KW - social identity theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85198716810&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/gwao.13162
DO - 10.1111/gwao.13162
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85198716810
SN - 0968-6673
JO - Gender, Work and Organization
JF - Gender, Work and Organization
ER -