Men ‘should step aside to aid women’

Too many well-qualified women will continue to be under-promoted and underpaid unless more men are prepared to work part-time and accept sideways career moves, said Dr Tom Schuller, visiting professor at London University’s Institute of Education.

Dr Schuller, a former head of education research at the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, said there was a need for more affordable childcare, career mentoring for women and stronger measures to fight discrimination.

“Men’s career patterns will need to change too. Too much of the emphasis on gender equality at work involves helping women to work more like men. It is time to enable more men to work in ways that are currently the preserve of women,” he said.

Men needed to consider working part-time and chose jobs which did not go beyond their competence, which would make many of them happier, he said.