Regulating professional identities in the epoch of social media: exploring the process of identity creation for IT workers in India

Abstract

PurposeThe paper aims to explore the process of identity regulation and identity creation on social media for employees in the IT sector of India and how this process is different for men and women.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on the thematic analysis of in-depth interviews of 31 IT professionals.FindingsThe authors find that identity regulation and identity creation is a complex process when it is mediated on social media as cues and guidelines for professionals are ambiguous. Enriching Ibarra's model of identity creation, the authors find that this process consists of five steps: (1) motivation to build a desirable self, (2) experimenting with identity boundaries, (3) failed identity experiences, (4) active self-regulation and (5) enacting inauthentic selves. The authors further find that this self-regulation for men is driven by the pressure to conform to the identity of an ideal “corporate man”, whereas for women it is driven by the need to conform to societal and cultural expectations.Practical implicationsSince identity regulation is a cognitively demanding process that affects both the productivity and well-being of employees, organisations can proactively help employees manage their social media presence through training and mentorship programmes.Originality/valueThe paper provides an enriched version of Ibarra's (1999) model on identity creation and regulation and highlights the role of gender in the process. The paper is practically relevant as it provides a window into how employees can feel the need to manifest inauthentic selves which is cognitively demanding.

Igniting work innovation: performance pressure, extraversion, feedback seeking and innovative behavior

“…The rationale for opting for the Donnellan scale lies in its brevity and efficiency, which aligns well with the busy and hectic work schedules typically encountered by IT professionals (Prabhu et al, 2023). Given that our target population often faces time constraints and demanding workloads (Gonibeed and Saqib, 2023), it's crucial to minimize the burden of survey participation while still capturing relevant personality traits (Ayers et al, 2023). An example statement from the scale is "I am the life of the party.…”

“…, 2023). Given that our target population often faces time constraints and demanding workloads (Gonibeed and Saqib, 2023), it’s crucial to minimize the burden of survey participation while still capturing relevant personality traits (Ayers et al. , 2023).…”

“…Gaining insights into and managing the impact of pressure on employees is essential to facilitate the development of extra-role service behaviors, which are vital for organizations to remain competitive (Iqbal et al, 2020). Considering that IT professionals frequently confront demanding work schedules (Prabhu et al, 2023) and heavy workloads (Gonibeed and Saqib, 2023), from a practical perspective, it becomes crucial for managers to take measures that curb the intensification of performance pressure (Rescalvo-Martin et al, 2022). Performance pressure is defined as "a belief that current performance is inadequate for achieving a desired goal, and a negative affective response linked to the attitude and associated belief" (Eisenberger and Aselage, 2009, p. 96).…”