Productivity in Britain: The workers' perspective. First findings from the Skills and Employment Survey 2017

Almost a decade after the financial crisis began, productivity growth has failed to recover to its pre-recession level. This report examines productivity growth from the workers’ perspective. Almost a fifth (18%) of employees identified changes which, if implemented, would make them a great deal more productive and one in eight (13%) made suggestions which contributed a great deal to making work more efficient. Even more (71%) claimed to have taken the initiative to make such improvements on more than one occasion. Channels to greater productivity are at their most effective when employees have: more autonomy to decide how to do their jobs; more supportive line management; more meaningful appraisals; and their views and those of their colleagues are heard. However, since 2006 these productivity drivers have become less prevalent, precisely at a time when productivity growth has been sluggish and the economy would have benefited from them most