How the birth of a child affects the content of women’s work is examined by Wiebke Schulz (SOCIUM University of Bremen) and Gundula Zoch (University of Oldenburg) in a new study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family. Motherhood is considered a central source of gender inequalities in the labor market; yet, little is known about how it reshapes women’s specific job tasks.
The analysis of panel data from the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS, 2011–2020) using individual fixed-effects models shows that, after childbirth, mothers perform fewer analytical, complex, and interactive tasks. These reductions are especially pronounced among women who reduce their working hours. No differences were found related to occupational mobility or the length of parental leave.
The study highlights a previously underexplored aspect of gender inequality. Motherhood changes the content of work, which is an important factor for job quality, skill development, and long-term career trajectories.
The full article is freely accessible here.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Wiebke Schulz
SOCIUM Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy
Mary-Somerville-Straße 9
28359 Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-58648
E-Mail: wschulz@uni-bremen.de
