The research is being used to launch a body called Women in Financial Services Forum. It is backed by the BNZ in partnership with Finsia and aims to get support from around the financial services industry which consists of more than 30,000 workers.
The survey also found that more women believed less attention was given to the advancement of women's careers because at some point they might leave the workforce and have children.
While 58 per cent of females strongly agreed that some women avoided promotion because of concerns about balancing workplace demands and caring responsibilities, the largest group of men, 35.5 per cent, were neutral on it.
The largest group of women, 39 per cent, also believed that females without caring responsibilities were also under-used in senior ranks, compared with 42 per cent of men who did not agree with the statement.
There were also differences of opinion over the ways in which female participation in the sector could be increased. Both men and women rated flexible work options as important, but women saw it as the most beneficial way to help increase participation, while men rated mentoring and professional development as priorities.
Tapping in to women's potential
BNZ financial controller Nikki Fowler says she would never have taken the step into management had she not been shoulder-tapped.
The mum of two has been with the bank for 15 years.
She trained as a chartered accountant and when promoted she was the youngest senior female leader at the bank at just under 30.
"I probably wouldn't have had the confidence to put my hand up if I hadn't of been shoulder-tapped," she said.
"I hadn't been in the banking environment very long."
She believed many women looked at roles and thought "well I can do 75 per cent of it" but not all of the job where as men had a "she'll be right attitude".
Fowler said as a senior manager it was important for her to encourage women to think about opportunities for themselves and support them.
She said it was particularly important for employers to create opportunities for women coming back from parental leave.
"It's really important to try to maintain a foothold in the industry," she said.
Fowler said she hoped the Women in Financial Services Forum, which the BNZ helped launch yesterday following a report on gender issues in the sector, would increase awareness and networking opportunities.
The forum will be set up in the next few months and aims to encourage more women into the financial services sector, promotion of women into senior roles and will try to influence policy both within corporates and the Government.
