U.K. Lags Behind Rest of Europe in Productivity

Research from Ricoh Europe finds just over a quarter of employees feel equipped with the necessary technology for workplace collaboration, the lowest in the region.

By Maggie Mancini

Research from Ricoh Europe reveals stark disparities in workplace productivity across Europe, with Spain leading the charge while the U.K. trails behind. The study underscores the impact of inadequate workplace technology on productivity, particularly in France, Germany, and the U.K.  

Spain stands out as Europe’s most productive nation, with 92% of employees reporting high productivity. The continent’s fourth-biggest economy, Spain’s GDP grew 3.2% last year, while the U.K.’s economy grew just 0.9%. Reflecting this disparity, the U.K. ranks lowest for workplace productivity, with U.K. workers lagging 11% behind Spain. In fact, employees in the U.K. are more than twice as likely to consider themselves unproductive (10%), compared to their Spanish counterparts.  

The findings demonstrate the critical role of modern technology in workplace productivity. In the U.K., over a quarter (27%) of employees feel equipped with the necessary technology for seamless collaboration, the lowest figure among surveyed countries. British business leaders recognise the gap in technology provision, with almost a quarter (23%) of leaders citing outdated technology as the leading barrier to productivity.  

Employees are calling for better technology to improve productivity. When asked what would enhance their productivity, 42% point to better document management software, which allows for collaboration between users of a digital document and well over a third report communication and collaboration tools (38%) and automation software (35%).