Business leaders in the Asia Pacific are more optimistic than their American and European counterparts that women's equality in the workplace will be achieved sooner rather than later.

A recent global survey of 222 leaders by human resources consulting firm Manpower Group found respondents from the Asia Pacific region, which includes Australia and New Zealand, believe gender equality in the workplace will be achieved in 13 years, compared to 17 years by participants in North and South America, and 19 years in Europe.

Although those aged under 35 believed equality could be reached in about 21 years and male leaders aged over 35 believed equality could be reached in 14 years, Diane Smith-Gander, President of Chief Executive Women said it should be noted that the workplace has changed over the last few decades.

"The 20 something woman of today has a very different experience to the one I had at that age. It’s more positive, more equal. There are fewer instances where a woman will be the only woman in any given work situation. But this is not a guarantee that by the time today’s 20 somethings are 40 somethings, they will continue to be experiencing balanced representation as the norm. We need continued systemic change, driven by today's leaders and their teams," she said.

Dr Diann Rodgers-Healey, director of the Australian Centre for Leadership for Women, was wary real gender equity was feasible in the near future.

"I think the current trends seem to indicate that if we leave it up to the corporate world to achieve equality of their own accord, I don't think that pace is going to increase. We really need to look at how to overcome the glacial pace of change that is keeping women out of central leadership positions.”

Rather than a merit system, which relies on the assumption that potential leaders begin on a level playing field, Dr Rodgers-Healey suggested a quota system, supported by a cultural shift including flexibility and affordable childcare, to improve equality.

"Women are very much marginalised to begin with as leadership is gendered favouring a masculine style, so there’s a lot of bias around our style,” she said.

“Unfortunately what is not focused on is that we do produce outcomes when given the opportunity in egalitarian contexts.”

Norway is one country that has found success in a quota system. After introducing corporate board gender quotas in 2003, it achieved its target of 40 percent female board members in 2008, up from 15.9 percent in 2004.

Mara Swan, ManpowerGroup's Executive Vice President, Global Strategy and Talent, said increasing the number of women in leadership roles was needed.

"Increasing representation by putting more women in support roles like Communications and HR is just not good enough anymore. That is not shifting the needle,” she said. "It's proven that the problem will not correct itself – we are stuck in a circular conversation.”

Although those aged under 35 believe it is everyone’s shared responsibility to help achieve gender equality in the workforce and boardroom, one out of three female Millennials said no one in their organisation was supporting women into leadership.

According to the Australian Human Rights Commission, women accounted for 21.3 percent of directorships on ASX 200 boards in October 2015, up from 8.3 percent in 2009.

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