New research from the Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) reveals that men who work with a large number of women are more likely to experience divorce. The study, published in the Journal of Public Economics, analysed data on 355,100 children and explored the relationship between workplace dynamics and marital stability.

According to research by Martin Halla and his colleagues, fathers who work with more women – particularly those who are close in age to them – are more likely to divorce. This pattern highlights how certain workplace environments can strain marital relationships.

The study also sheds light on the broader implications of divorce, particularly its long-lasting negative effects on children. It found a strong negative correlation between parental divorce and a wide range of outcomes for children, extending well into adulthood. Children from divorced families generally experience lower levels of human capital and exhibit reduced productivity compared to their peers.

Boys from divorced families tend to have lower educational attainment, face worse outcomes in the labour market, and are at a higher risk of early death. Girls, on the other hand, are more likely to have children at a younger age, particularly during their teenage years. Both boys and girls exhibit significantly lower levels of education compared to children from intact families.

These findings emphasise the profound and often harmful impact parental divorce has on children’s futures, with marked differences in the long-term outcomes for boys and girls. As policymakers and educators consider ways to support children from divorced families, this research highlights the importance of addressing the challenges they face and the need for targeted interventions to mitigate these negative effects.

“Our results show that focusing on the well-being of children in the event of a divorce should be more than empty rhetoric, because the consequences for them are felt throughout their lives,” says Halla.