Identity Construction in Organizational Contexts

Identity construction within organisations encompasses the dynamic processes through which individuals and groups negotiate, claim and reshape their sense of self in relation to organisational roles, norms and cultures. Far from being fixed attributes, identities are achieved through ongoing “identity work” involving narrative, rhetorical and performative practices that align personal aspirations with organisational expectations. These processes unfold across multiple levels: the individual’s self-conception, the collective identities of teams and professions, and the broader cultural discourses that pervade workplaces. Key mechanisms include identity regulation, whereby organisations employ formal and informal means to shape how members present themselves; sensemaking, through which actors interpret and respond to identity threats or transitions; and boundary management, in which individuals navigate overlapping or conflicting identity domains such as professional and personal roles. This field has grown in global relevance as organisations embrace hybrid structures, remote and gig working, and increasingly diverse workforces. Practical applications range from leadership development and ethical culture building to interventions designed to reduce identity‐based stress and promote inclusion. Contemporary research highlights the importance of fostering reflexive spaces where organisational members can co-construct identities that support adaptability, well-being and sustained engagement in rapidly changing environments.

Research from Nature Portfolio

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Identity Construction in Organizational Contexts publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in identity construction in organizational contexts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Identity work: The purposeful activities—such as storytelling, rhetoric and performance—through which individuals construct, maintain or alter their sense of self in relation to organisational contexts.

Relational ethics: An approach to ethical culture that emphasises individuals as answerable moral agents engaged in critically self-reflexive relationships, rather than mere alignment with prescribed organisational values.

Gender microaggressions: Subtle, often unintentional slights or exclusions based on gender that cumulatively undermine individuals’ professional identities and well-being.

References

1. Leadership identity construction in a hybrid medical context: ‘Claimed’ but not ‘granted’. European Management Journal (2024).
2. Formal Ethics, Content Ethics and Relational Ethics: Three Approaches to Constructing Ethical Sales Cultures and Identities in Retail Banking. Journal of Business Ethics (2023).
3. Microaggressions, Interrupted: The Experience and Effects of Gender Microaggressions for Women in STEM. Journal of Business Ethics (2022).