THE future looks bright for women in the workplace, but men are likely to lose out.

According to a new report, the British workforce will no longer follow the pattern of full-time permanent jobs. It will be forced to adopt more flexible practices such as contract and project-based work.

The Workplace 2000 forum of employment experts says women are better placed to adapt.

They already tend to work in sectors which have more flexible working and are seen as being more ready to accept the reality of interrupted career development.

"Women perform tasks while men perform roles," said a delegate to the forum, hosted by recruitment consultants, Office Angels.

Women were also said to have stolen a march on men because their keyboard skills will be more important in the future.

Since the Second World War, men have worked for an average of 43 years in eight different jobs while women have worked for 21 years in 11 jobs.

The forum predicts the gap will narrow in the future.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.