An Ideal Working & The Professional Identity

Who is an ideal worker?

Prioritise work ahead of family, personal needs and even health

How do organisations control employees' professional identities?

Totally committed

Organisational mechanisms of Organisational control

always avaliable

embrace expectation

richly rewarded

What is a professional identity

Role identities

goals, values, beliefs. norms, interaction styles, and time horizon

Two main forms of professional identities

Structure of work: The successful performance of the professional role been contingernt upon always prioritising work demands over all other life demands

Performance evaluations: Reinforcing the above structure of work by rewarding those who fulfil requirements.

expected

Experienced

professionals expected to conform to the ideal worker image

Conflict

when worker's experienced professional identity does not meet the ideal worker image

How do employees cope with conflicting professional identities?

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Congruence versus conflict

However, a large percentage of professionals experience conflict between the two identities

Historically, researchers and practitioners focused on women, especially those with young children as being the main cohort of professionals who would experience conflict.

If an employees expected, and experienced professional identities are in sync and congruent they are unlikely to experience conflict