Women 'less optimistic about workplace equality'

Almost twice as many men as women think the sexes are equal when it comes to getting the top jobs, according to a survey published today.

The study found 44 per cent of men thought it was not unusual for a woman to hold down a top job, compared to 23 per cent of women.

Sarah Churchman, director of diversity at PricewaterhouseCoopers, said: "It's no surprise that men think that equality has progressed more than women. Some men don't realise what it's like to face a macho male dominated culture in a working environment. "The fight to the top gets tougher all the time the more squeeze companies put on learning, promotions, and pay rises.

"The City has worked hard to shake off its alpha - male image and environment, but the underlying impression is still that women have to battle harder to get to the top. It's in our nature to feel we have to prove to ourselves, and others we can do the job.

"But in the process, employers need to ensure it's not burning out the best of our City women, because it's the economy as a whole that suffers when we reduce the pipeline of future leaders."