Productivity is usually defined as the ratio between outputs and inputs. In other words, how efficiently inputs are being used to produce a given level of output, or how much output can be produced from a given level of inputs.

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Productivity growth in the UK has been both weak and sporadic since 2011, and improvements usually require investment. However, the amount of investment made by business stopped increasing in 2016, and Brexit-related uncertainty probably added to the general uncertainty that surrounds any investment decision.  

This report gives insights into productivity and people management practices from responses to questions that were added to the spring 2023 Labour Market Outlook survey, making policy recommendations for organisations and government. 

People management and productivity

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