Transitions in work memberships, relationships, and roles can result in workrelated
identity loss. This article contributes to a growing body of research examining
identity transitions by providing a dynamic model to explain these identity
losses. Our model incorporates principles from identity research and grief research
to predict how employees will react to the loss of a work-related identity.
We conceptualize the transition period as one of liminality, during which individuals
engage in sensemaking and emotion regulation to determine who they were
and who they are becoming. Specifically, the process involves cognitive and
emotional processing in two domains: loss orientation and restoration orientation.
We propose that emotions experienced (and their associated regulatory foci) are
critical for determining whether individuals experience adaptive or maladaptive
identity-related outcomes.