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Gender Differences in Departure from a Large Firm

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  • Nachum Sicherman

Abstract

Looking at the personnel records of workers in a large company, where detailed reasons for worker departure are recorded, I find striking differences in the exit patterns between men and women. As is well known, a higher proportion of women leave for a variety of non-market reasons. Further, women state more often that wages, and not opportunities, as a reason for switching jobs. Women, on average, are more likely to leave the firm. This is specially true in periods of early tenure. For both men and women, the likelihood of departure increases in the first two months of tenure, and then declines at a decreasing rate. This decline is stronger for women. Using a proportional hazard model, with controls for observed characteristics, I find that tenure beyond five years, women are less likely to leave the firm than men. Tenure turnover profiles are computed for the different reasons of departure. This detailed breakdown provides additional insights into gender differences in quit behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Nachum Sicherman, 1993. "Gender Differences in Departure from a Large Firm," NBER Working Papers 4279, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:4279
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    1. Lisa M. Lynch, 1992. "Differential Effects of Post-School Training on Early Career Mobility," NBER Working Papers 4034, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J60 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - General

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