BUSINESSES in the south west are missing out on a huge pool of talent because work practices alienate women, according to the regional director for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

The results of a survey, carried out by Kingston University, show that inflexible attitudes and working arrangements deter talented women from joining the property sector and can drive others out.

In the survey of more than 30,000 property professionals across the country, 70 per cent said they believed working long hours at the office enhanced their chance of promotion, re-enforcing inflexible working cultures that hit women trying to balance family commitments.

In the south west, nearly 60 per cent of the chartered surveyors taking part in the survey said they worked for organisations that did not have a formal flexible working policy.

This is despite new employment legislation that gives all parents with children under six, or disabled children under 18, the right to request a flexible working pattern from their employer.

Sixty-three per cent said fewer than five colleagues in their office took advantage of flexible working hours.

There is also a severe shortage of female role models in the south west, with just six per cent of chartered surveyors reporting to a female boss.

Yet, surprisingly, this is one of the better regions in the country for numbers of women in senior management, particularly when compared to the north east where only one per cent of property professionals have a female manager.

Matthew McKaig, RICS south west regional director, said: "Bosses in the region need to listen if they want to attract and retain high calibre people. By the age of 40, most women are making decisions about whether it is worth their while continuing work and balancing family commitments and the cost of childcare.

"If women don't see opportunities for themselves, they are likely to leave.

"What might persuade them otherwise is the opportunity to work flexibly.

"The irony is that the property profession is not essentially a desk-bound occupation and is extremely well-suited to flexible working.

"There are a multitude of options available, which are already being exploited by the public sector and companies in continental Europe."

Options include job sharing, part-time working, time off in lieu, staggered hours, career breaks or school-time working.

Women account for just ten per cent of the 110,000- strong, worldwide professional membership of the RICS.

In light of the survey results, the RICS is now making recommendations to its members to encourage bosses and employees to explore the mutual benefits of flexible working arrangements.