Managing multiple, geographically-separated identities, and its effect on employee retention

Area of Science:

• Organizational Behavior
• Social Psychology
• Human Resource Management

Background:

• Existing research suggests individuals manage multiple identities through integration or separation.
• The fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work context presents unique challenges for identity management due to geographical separation of home and work.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the existence of different identity structures in FIFO work contexts.
• To identify strategies employees use to manage these identity structures.
• To examine the effect of these strategies on employee retention intentions.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of data from 29 participants across three work sites.
• Exploration of identity structures and management strategies in FIFO arrangements.

Main Results:

• Three primary identity management strategies were identified: aligning identities, making work identity dominant, and creating a new context-specific identity.
• These strategies interact with an employee's actual identity structure.
• The interplay between identity structures and management strategies influences employee retention intentions.

Conclusions:

• Employees in FIFO roles adopt distinct strategies to manage multiple identity structures.
• Understanding these strategies is crucial for developing effective employee retention initiatives in FIFO arrangements.
• The findings offer insights into the dynamic nature of identity management in non-traditional work environments.