Untold Stories of Women at Work

Despite persistent calls for organizational scholars to explore the experiences of women at work more deeply, we still know relatively little about: (1) processes involved in women’s invisible experiences; (2) the impact invisible experiences have on women's well-being and work outcomes; (3) the circumstances that exacerbate or alleviate these outcomes; and (4) how colleagues, leaders, and organizations can best support women at work. The proposed symposium advances scholarship by bringing together qualitative and quantitative research that sheds light on women’s invisible experiences at work. Specifically, the four papers within this session reveal that postpartum experiences, barriers related to menopause, and the lasting effects of gender-based trauma are impactful for women’s career transitions and outcomes, and highlight roles that organizations, leaders, and coworkers may play in providing support. In this manner, this symposium strongly aligns with the Academy of Management’s conference theme “Creating a Better World Together” by focusing on the voices, needs, and perspectives of groups that have historically been silenced: mothers suffering from postpartum depression and reentering organizations after maternity leave; survivors of gender-based violence facing transitions in their careers; and women experiencing menopause. In sum, the papers and resulting discussion provide insight into the consequences of these invisible experiences for the women affected, and how colleagues, leaders, and organizations can provide support. A Qualitative Exploration of Working Mothers with Postpartum Depression Presenter: Allison S. Gabriel; U. of Arizona Presenter: Jamie Jocelyn Ladge; Northeastern U. Presenter: Laura McAndrews Little; U. of Georgia Presenter: Rebecca MacGowan; U. of Arkansas Presenter: Elizabeth E. Stillwell; Northeastern U. Working While Menopausal: Stigma of Vasomotor Symptoms Presenter: Alicia A. Grandey; Pennsylvania State U. Presenter: Vanessa Burke; Pennsylvania State U. How Does Complex Trauma Impact Career Transitions? An Examination of Women Survivors of Violence Presenter: Katina Sawyer; George Washington U. Presenter: Sabrina DeeAnn Volpone; U. of Colorado, Boulder Presenter: Christian Noble Thoroughgood; Georgia State U., J. Mack Robinson College of Business Understanding the Role of Allyship in Women’s Postpartum Return to Work Presenter: Nitya Chawla; Texas A&M U. Presenter: Allison S. Gabriel; U. of Arizona Presenter: Melanie Prengler; U. of Virginia, Darden School of Business Presenter: Kristie Rogers; Marquette U. Presenter: Benjamin Alan Rogers; UNC-Chapel Hill Presenter: Alyssa Tedder-King; Kenan-Flagler Business School, U. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill