Jessica O'ConnorSpain was named as the leading European country for workplace productivity, while the UK trailed behind, research from Ricoh Europe has revealed.
The study, conducted by Opinion Matters for Ricoh Europe, surveyed 7,000 workers and 1,800 decision-makers across Europe.
Spain stood out as Europe’s most productive nation, with 92% of employees reporting high productivity and an unproductivity rate of just 4%.
The eurozone’s fourth-biggest economy, Spain’s GDP grew 3.2% last year, while the UK’s economy grew just 0.9%.
The UK ranked lowest for workplace productivity, with UK workers lagging 11% behind leaders Spain.
In fact, employees in the UK were more than twice as likely to consider themselves unproductive (10%), compared to their Spanish counterparts.
The findings demonstrated the critical role of modern technology in workplace productivity.
In the UK, over a quarter (27%) of employees said they feel equipped with the necessary technology for seamless collaboration, the lowest figure among surveyed countries.
British business leaders recognised the gap in technology provision, with almost a quarter (23%) of business leaders citing outdated technology as the leading barrier to employee productivity.
British employees called for better workplace technology to improve productivity. When asked what would enhance their productivity, 42% pointed to better document management software, 38% cited communication and collaboration tools and 35% mentioned automation software.
Chris Hopton, CEO of Ricoh UK and Northern Europe, said: “The UK’s productivity challenge highlights an urgent need for investment in workplace technology.
“With only 27% of employees feeling equipped with the right tools for seamless collaboration – and nearly a quarter of business leaders citing outdated technology as a key barrier – the solution is clear.
“To drive productivity and growth, UK businesses must accelerate digital transformation and equip teams with the right technology to work smarter and more effectively.”
