Could the gender of a male manager’s first child influence his employment decisions?

Surprising research results indicate that if a male manager has a daughter as a first-born child this may influence his subsequent decisions to employ female staff.

Father with new born daughter

This is the conclusion in a forthcoming research paper: “Daddy’s Girl: Daughters, Managerial Decisions, and Gender Inequality” by Maddalena Ronchi and Nina Smith 2026 Review of Economic Studies. Looking at detailed Danish employment data from 1993 to 2017 the authors of this research were able to link and correlate the family and company circumstances of tens of thousands of Danish single managed male owners of small companies.

authors of this research were able to link and correlate the family and company circumstances of tens of thousands of Danish single managed male owners

The statistically significant results showed that following the birth of a male manager’s first daughter the employment of women in that business rose by 2.9% and their earnings by 4.4%. It was concluded that these results coincided with the daughter’s birth and occurred for no other apparent reason. The effects persisted for many years after, with the women replacing male employees in that business with similar qualifications and pay.

employment of women in that business rose by 2.9% and their earnings by 4.4%

Of the companies studied 80% of the manager owners were men. Unfortunately, the remaining 20% of women managed companies was to few a sample to attribute the same impact to motherhood. It is uncertain whether these effects reveal something about the psychology of fatherhood or whether unconscious bias was the overriding factor.

This influence of mentors could be an easy way of influencing further employment of women in businesses

Much effort is made by some companies to overcome gender bias in recruitment of women by using for example employment quotas and diversity training. Perhaps the simple solution to gender bias in firms would be to couple male managers who have daughters as their first-born child with men who do not. This influence of mentors could be an easy way of influencing further employment of women in businesss.

By our society correspondent