The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) Labour Productivity report is due for release on the 8th July 2016. In the April 2016 release, ONS statistics revealed that labour productivity, as measured by output per hour, fell by 1.2 percent, and was some 14 percent below an extrapolation based on its pre-downturn trend.
Tim Oldman, CEO of Leesman, the global standard for measuring workplace effectiveness, suggests the pending ONS release will paint a similar picture:
“Regardless of the potential fluctuations contained within this week’s quarterly ONS report, labour productivity per employee has failed to markedly rise since the global downturn. Considering the recent surge of economic turmoil, it is fair to assume the UK will continue to boast an abysmal level of overall output.”
Oldman argues that it is imperative that business leaders analyse the reasons behind poor productivity in order to improve business performance:
“As the costs of delivery continues to increase, and as finance directors continue to sacrifice property and infrastructure to save money, more and more workplaces pass a tipping point where their business spaces are failing to support the productivity of those they accommodate.”
Having spoken to 155,000+ employees worldwide, the latest figures (Q1 2016) have revealed that only 55% of employees believe their office environment allows them to work effectively.
The UK fares worse.
“Across 108 UK workplaces and 11,812 employees measured in the last 12-months, just 52% of office workers report that their workplace enables them to work productively, and 1 in 3 actively disagree with this statement,” said Oldman. “This is having a continued impact on employees and creating “toxic workplaces” where efforts are being met with business environments that are simply not supporting people in the role they are employed to undertake.
“There’s a woeful lack of science being applied to the workplace environment. Organisations must include the workplace in their productivity focus. Those that do will boost their organisation’s performance.”
Rebecca joined the HRreview editorial team in January 2016. After graduating from the University of Sheffield Hallam in 2013 with a BA in English Literature, Rebecca has spent five years working in print and online journalism in Manchester and London. In the past she has been part of the editorial teams at Sleeper and Dezeen and has founded her own arts collective.
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