Can female executives improve employment relations outcomes? Empirical evidence from China with gender implications

Purpose Despite the growing research interest in gender diversity, the presence of female executives and organizational outcomes, the relationship between female executives and employment relations outcomes remains under-researched. This study aims to examine the potential relationship between female executives and employment relations outcomes, with the gender gap as a focus. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from 2,682 workers from 119 manufacturing firms in Guangdong Province, southern China. Findings Results show that firms with female executives are more likely to comply with labor laws and promote staff development. The association between female executives and promotion opportunities is stronger for female employees than for male employees. However, there is no significant association between female executives and employee salaries. Originality/value This research contributes to employment relations literature and extends the application of social role theory to studies of employment relations in particular societal contexts. This study also provides possible boundary conditions for the existence of queen bee behavior by using data from Chinese factories.