So why the productivity gap?

[vetran]

Philip Hammond announces billions to tackle 'shocking' productivity gap | Daily Mail Online

Why a UK worker takes five days to do what a German does in just four! Hammond announces billions to tackle 'shocking' productivity gap that means Britain 'lags behind' other countries
Philip Hammond said UK lags behind US and Germany by 30 per cent
Productivity in the UK is also lower than in France and Italy
New fund will spend £23bn on ‘innovation and infrastructure’

[original PM]

Philip Hammond announces billions to tackle 'shocking' productivity gap | Daily Mail Online

Hugely de-motivational middle management dick heads who have no idea what they are doing.

[Paddy]

So why the productivity gap?
The Internet and smartphones.

[VectraMan]

It's because we're all posting crap on internet forums..

[tomtomagain]

Because UK business would rather create a job for £7 per hour using imported, cheap, labour than invest in a robot for £1M to do the job instead.

[Cirrus]

Philip Hammond announces billions to tackle 'shocking' productivity gap | Daily Mail Online

A long time ago I worked at Kodak. The German workers earned 40% more than those over here in Harrow. However they were 40% more productive.

The reason given at the time was Germans were more highly educated so they could fix problems with the production lines much more quickly than the Brits.

[vetran]

A long time ago I worked at Kodak. The German workers earned 40% more than those over here in Harrow. However they were 40% more productive.

The reason given at the time was Germans were more highly educated so they could fix problems with the production lines much more quickly than the Brits.

Strange on our production lines we have a playbook that shows you what you do in times of a failure. Probably why it was easy to move production to low cost countries.

Most of our UK production lines had Eastern European staff. Most of our EMEA design teams are based in the UK.

[sasguru]

My experience of working in Germany and Switzerland is that:

1. People don't chat as much during the working day about crap like footie or what they did at the weekend. They just get on with the job. They do take a full hour for lunch and talk then. They leave on time, there's less politics about staying late to impress the boss (i.e. less presenteeism).

2. Fewer open plan offices. Programmers are sometimes 2 per room - much better for productivity.

3. The average ability of the non-graduates is higher than the equivalent Brit. On the skilled graduate level, Brits are, on average, better because more creative and less rigid.

4. There's more specialisation so people eventually get good at what they do, less chopping and changing, less amateurism. That's because in general their companies are more stable.

[vetran]

My experience of working in Germany and Switzerland is that:

1. People don't chat as much during the working day about crap like footie or what they did at the weekend. They just get on with the job. They do take a full hour for lunch and talk then. They leave on time, there's less politics about staying late to impress the boss (i.e. less presenteeism).

2. Fewer open plan offices. Programmers are sometimes 2 per room - much better for productivity.

2. The average ability of the non-graduates is higher than the equivalent Brit. On the skilled graduate level, Brits are, on average, better because more creative and less rigid.

3. There's more specialisation so people eventually get good at what they do, less chopping and changing, less amateurism. That's because in general their companies are more stable.

1. Not my experience my German Boss won't shut up, neither will his colleagues. in a 1 hour long meeting 55 minutes is discussing amongst themselves what they want. Pity we end up on the same conclusions that are on the slide.

A lot of the talk is pouring oil on the water. Good if we have ruffled feathers not so good when we have a fire.

2. Not actually seen that. We have some very competent people in the UK without degrees. Their English is great but the non managers aren't very willing to take on things.

3. Yes many people have done the same job for years, getting them to change is hard work. Companies are definitely more established and stable.

[Paddy]

A long time ago I worked at Kodak. The German workers earned 40% more than those over here in Harrow. However they were 40% more productive.

The reason given at the time was Germans were more highly educated so they could fix problems with the production lines much more quickly than the Brits.

Oh God, did you work on these?
I can still draw the circuitry by memory.