Women are confronted by a 'glass ceiling' in the workplace, according to recent research.
A survey for Monster.co.uk has found that 56 per cent of participants believe that female workers are prevented from progressing up the career ladder, often as the result of gender-based discrimination.
However, 45 per cent believe that while the glass ceiling still exists "there are signs of greater equality", onrec.com reports.
Of the 7,797 respondents to the poll, 1,301 (17 per cent) said that it is "a thing of the past", while 35 per cent are conscious it still exists and said "it'll never go away".
Rob Brouwer, chief executive of Monster UK and Ireland, said: "Our poll shows that the traditional barriers to women progressing at work are gradually being broken down, with 45 per cent of respondents across Europe saying that they see the situation improving.
"However, there is still much that can be done to improve career progression for women."
A recent report on women in the boardroom by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) investigated female high fliers and suggested that they were only appointed to top jobs at firms which were in crisis.
Digg 
Delicious 
Reddit 
StumbleUpon 
Google 
Technorati 
Netvouz