Bad management holding back UK productivity

15 February, 2018

LONDON, UK – 15 February 2018 - Bad management is the biggest drain on productivity in the workplace, according to a new study from ADP, which surveyed 1,300 employees across the UK. The study reveals that a third of workers (32%) regularly struggle to be productive in their job, with one in six (16%) respondents blaming their manager - ahead of inefficient systems and processes (15%) and staff shortages (13%).

The UK has been grappling with low productivity levels for a number of years, consistently placed behind other leading economies, such as Germany and the US in official productivity tables. While recent ONS figures suggested a recovery is underway, reporting the biggest jump in productivity levels for six years, the ADP findings indicate that UK PLC isn’t out of the woods just yet.

Workers in the financial services industry are facing the biggest issues with productivity, according to the findings, with more than two fifths (44%) saying they are only able to reach maximum productivity at most ‘some of the time.’ Within this sector, more than a quarter of professionals (28%) blame inefficient systems and processes, while a fifth (21%) say bad management is the biggest culprit.

Barriers to productivity also vary significantly based on age, with over 55s the most affected by bad management (20%), while 16 to 24-year olds are more affected by social media (22%) distractions from colleagues (21%) and stress (18%). Meanwhile, over 55s are revealed to be the most easily distracted in the workplace, with 17% saying they are rarely or never able to be at their most productive.

“Productivity is vital for organisational and economic success, which is why maximising output must be a top priority for employers,” commented xxx, xxx, ADP UK. “It might be notoriously difficult to measure and improve productivity levels, but these findings provide a good indication of the factors that are most important. Ineffective management is a major drain on employee output, not to mention motivation and engagement, which is why investment in management training is critical. Processes, systems and technology must also be updated regularly, with the input of frontline staff, to ensure they are consistently helping them to work in the best – and most productive - way possible.”

To read the ful report, see here: The Workforce View in Europe

About the Research

‘The Workforce View in Europe 2018’ report explores the attitudes of employees toward the future of work. The research for ADP was carried out by independent market research agency Opinion Matters in August 2017. The sample consisted of 9,908 working adults in eight territories across Europe, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Switzerland and the UK

About ADP (NASDAQ-ADP)

Powerful technology plus a human touch. Companies of all types and sizes around the world rely on ADP cloud software and expert insights to help unlock the potential of their people. HR. Talent. Benefits. Payroll. Compliance. Working together to build a better workforce. For more information, visit https://uk.adp.com/.

Media Contact:

Laura Brooks, Flagship Consulting
Sarah Callaghan, Flagship Consulting
Tom Jenkin, Flagship Consulting
Claire Nelson, Flagship Consulting
adp@flagshipconsulting.co.uk
020 7680 7104