This year only 4.8 per cent of CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are women

They also may mistrust other women or feel that they will be undermined

Women's dislike of female bosses could be due to negative perceptions

Survey, by Gallup, collected responses via phone from 1,032 U.S. adults

In contrast, just 26 per cent of men want to be led by a man in workplace

Women dislike having a female boss at work even more than men do, a new study has revealed.

Nearly 40 per cent of female workers in America would rather be led by a man, a Gallup survey found.

In contrast, just 26 per cent of men would prefer a male boss, with 58 per cent not caring either way.

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Findings: A new study has found that only one-fifth of people would prefer to have a female boss if they were to take a new job, compared to one-third who would prefer male. Forty six per cent would not mind

Contrast: Overall, women were more likely than men to want a male boss in the workplace, with 39 per cent wanting to be led by a man, 25 per cent preferring a female boss and 34 per cent having no preference

The study, which collected responses from 1,032 U.S. adults, found that only one-fifth of people would prefer to have a female boss if they were to take a new job.

This included a greater percentage of women than men, at 25 per cent and 14 per cent respectively.

However, overall, women were more likely than men to want a male boss, with 39 per cent wanting to be led by someone of the opposite gender, and 34 per cent having no preference.

In the past 60 years that Gallup has conducted the annual survey, women have never preferred a female boss. But support for female management has grown among both men and women over time.

Dislike: Over the past 60 years, women have never said they would prefer to have a female boss (file image)

In the first study in 1953, only five per cent of Americans preferred having a female boss, 66 per cent wanted a male boss and 25 per cent did not mind either way.

The recent survey also revealed workers who currently have a female boss were more likely to opt to be led by a woman, compared to those with a male boss, at 27 per cent and 15 per cent respectively.

Women's dislike of female bosses in the workplace could be partly due to widespread negative perceptions of women in management positions, BusinessWeek.com reported.

According to Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg's book, Lean In, women can mistrust, and undermine each other at work - with 95 per cent of working females having encountered this.

Figures: The recent survey also revealed workers who currently have a female boss were more likely to opt to be led by a woman, compared to those with a male boss, at 27 per cent and 15 per cent respectively

Meanwhile, although the number of female CEOs of Fortune 500 companies has this year reached a historic high, only 4.8 per cent of this elite group are women.

Earlier this year, a Cancer Research UK study found that women are still lacking in self-confidence, not putting themselves forward for promotion, and perceive men to have advantages over them.

A quarter of the women (26 per cent) interviewed said they felt that adopting stereotypical male characteristics could help them to get to the top of their field.

Meanwhile, One in five women (20 per cent) believed gender discrimination at work had made it more difficult for them to reach their career goals.

Preference: Women's dislike of female bosses could be partly due to negative perceptions of women in management positions. Above, nearly 40 per cent of women would rather be led by a man (file image)

And over a third (38 per cent) said lack of confidence in their own abilities and a reluctance to push for promotions (37 per cent) was making it harder for them to reach progress up the ladder.