RESEARCH_FILE
Jamie J. Ladge
D'Amore-McKim School of Business, Northeastern University
Known for:Research on how professional identity is reconstructed, not replaced, across pregnancy and the return to work
SEE THE PRACTICE
Turn a thought this research explains into one clear move.
THE THOUGHT
“My work relationships are gone — I have to start over”
YOUR RECORDED RESPONSE
“The company changed. I changed. Both are true at the same time.”
ONE PRIVATE MOVE
Write three things you know about a colleague's current work or concern—without checking email or asking anyone. Notice what you remember and what you actually forgot. Review one piece of feedback you've given or received since your return that shows you still bring something…
Key findings
- 2012
Pregnant professionals undergo a 'cross-domain identity transition': the established work identity has to be actively adapted to integrate a new maternal identity, rather than one identity simply replacing the other. Cross-Domain Identity Transition During Liminal Periods: Constructing Multiple Selves as 'Professional and Mother' During Pregnancy ↗
- 2015
Returning working mothers face uncertainty not just about role logistics but about their own efficacy and identity — a resocialization process that requires active management, not something that resolves automatically once someone is physically back at their desk. Becoming a Working Mother: Managing Identity and Efficacy Uncertainties During Resocialization ↗