Beyond parenthood: examining workplace discrimination faced by childless employees through an intersectional lens

Purpose This paper examines the extent of perceived workplace discrimination among childless employees and investigates how individual characteristics and workplace conditions may influence this perception. It also explores how widely discussed concepts, such as the motherhood penalty and fatherhood premium, shape perceptions of workplace discrimination among individuals without children. Design/methodology/approach To analyze perceived discrimination, data from the European Working Conditions Survey conducted by Eurofound was used. The analysis included responses from 54,401 individuals from 36 European countries. Descriptive statistics were used to compare perceptions of discrimination between childless employees and parents, while linear logistic regression was used to investigate how being childless intersects with other individual characteristics and workplace conditions. Findings The results reveal that, while no significant differences were found between childless individuals and parents at the general level across both genders, differences emerged when an intersectionality approach is applied. These differences were particularly evident across age groups. Childless individuals in different age groups also experience workplace discrimination, though the sources may differ from those affecting employees with children. Additionally, organizational position among men and women and family situation played a significant role in the frequency of perceived discrimination among childless employees. Caregiving status also significantly predicted perceived discrimination, especially among men. Practical implications This study highlights the importance of designing HR policies that are inclusive of all employee groups. Family-friendly policies, if not carefully implemented, may unintentionally marginalize childless employees. Complementary initiatives aimed at fostering a single-friendly culture could mitigate this effect. Originality/value This paper contributes to the growing field of research on workplace discrimination by addressing the underexplored issue of discrimination perceived by childless employees, offering the comparison with parents through an intersectional lens.