Creating an individual work identity

Abstract

This article builds on existing research on social identity and organizational identity to theoretically examine ways individuals create their own personal work identities. Individual work identity refers to a work-based self-concept, comprised of a combination of organizational, occupational, and other identities, that affects the roles people adopt and the corresponding ways they behave when performing their work. We show how individuals' identification with their organizations and/or occupations can be used to create their work identity, and we suggest this process will be based on the degree to which membership in these groups enhances their distinction and status. We argue that these concepts depend on whether individuals view their work as jobs, careers, or callings, as well as on whether individuals pursue a traditional career strategy versus a boundaryless career one. Finally, we offer propositions exploring the impact of identity creation on individuals' job performance and turnover intentions. We discuss the implications of our ideas for not only research in organizational identity, but also for research that explores the human resource implications of organizational actions.

Job crafting and its relationships with person–job fit and meaningfulness: A three-wave study

“…The second type of fit refers to the extent to which the job fulfills the employee's needs and preferences and is therefore called needs-supplies (NS) fit (Cable & De Rue, 2002). Drawing on work identity theory (Alvesson, 2010;Walsh & Gordon, 2008), employees have one or more work identities through which they assess whether their job aligns with their most important work identities (Kira & Balkin, 2014). Work identity influences work behaviors aimed to endorse these work identities (Walsh & Gordon, 2008).…”

“…Drawing on work identity theory (Alvesson, 2010;Walsh & Gordon, 2008), employees have one or more work identities through which they assess whether their job aligns with their most important work identities (Kira & Balkin, 2014). Work identity influences work behaviors aimed to endorse these work identities (Walsh & Gordon, 2008). Work that matches the individual's preferred work identity is likely to be experienced as interesting and significant whereas a misalignment between work content and work identity may result in negative work experiences (e.g., frustration).…”

“…Because job crafting is found to occur even on a daily basis (e.g., Petrou, Demerouti, Peeters, Schaufeli, & Hetland, 2012;Tims, Bakker, & Derks, 2014), and individuals regularly evaluate the fit of their work with their own characteristics (Walsh & Gordon, 2008), we opted for a three-wave design with one week in-between the measurement occasions. This time frame allowed individuals enough time to craft their job and also to experience whether their job aligned with themselves and was meaningful.…”

The relations between work centrality, psychological contracts, and job attitudes: The influence of age

“…Work centrality is a work-based self-concept that determines how people identify with their work roles (Hirschfeld & Feild, 2000;Walsh & Gordon, 2008), and how they act, think and feel at work (Ashforth & Kreiner, 1999). Although a significant amount of research has been devoted to how people identify with others in social situations (e.g., social identity theory; Ashforth & Mael, 1989), still little is known about individual identification processes, and in particular how one's work centrality influences work motivation and behavior.…”

Investigation of the predictor effect of organizational cynicism on organizational identification according to teachers' perceptions

“…The social identity theory tries to explain why and how a professional identity is created by the individual (Walsh & Gordon, 2008). This theory argues that there is a third element for the organisational identification as well which is called as the group evaluation besides combining the cognitive and emotional elements (Riketta, 2005).…”