Abstract

This project investigates whether and how workers can change the workplace culture. To that end, it focuses on West German workplaces following the influx of East German colleagues after the fall of the Berlin Wall. East Germans were raised with more gender egalitarian norms compared to West Germans, in particular with regard to working mothers. This project examines if East German colleagues influence West German mothers' labour supply and career decisions after childbirth due to changes in workplace culture. Using a difference-in-differences approach, the analysis compares West German mothers employed in workplaces that experienced significant East German inflows to those in workplaces with minimal inflows, before and after the migration surge. The results of this project will enhance our understanding of the importance of workplace culture for career decisions and of the role of workers in shaping these.