Maternity return as a change episode: activating the dynamic reassessment of the psychological contract

Purpose Psychological contracts are continuously reinterpreted, particularly during transitional episodes that intensify sensemaking processes and redirect employees' attention to the exchange relationship. This article conceptualizes maternity return as a change episode that activates the dynamic reassessment of the psychological contract. The aim of the study is to examine how activating factors, daily events that disrupt work routines, initiate and shape the unfolding process of psychological contract reassessment over time. Design/methodology/approach The study employs an experience sampling method (ESM) to capture daily perceptions of psychological contract dynamics in the work environment. The research sample consists of 62 women returning to work after maternity leave, treated as an identity-relevant re-entry transition. A total of 2,480 daily observations were collected and analysed using multi-level modelling, enabling the examination of temporal and cumulative patterns in contract reassessment. Findings The findings indicate that activating factors trigger a sequential process of psychological contract reassessment in which past experiences, anticipatory evaluations and emotional reactions interact dynamically. The effects of activating factors are cumulative and display temporal persistence, with their influence extending for approximately 13 days. The results suggest that seemingly minor daily discrepancies may accumulate nonlinearly, accelerating movement toward perceived contract incongruence. Originality/value By shifting attention from violation as an outcome to reassessment as a dynamic process, the study extends psychological contract research and integrates it with change management perspectives. It introduces maternity return as a change episode that intensifies contract dynamics and conceptualizes activating factors as early signals within identity-based transitions. The findings contribute to understanding how individual-level change episodes shape employee–organization exchange relationships over time.