Spain Leads in Workplace Productivity at European Level

Which workforce is the most productive in Europe? According to a study by Ricoh Europe, Spaniards are the most productive in the workplace.

This report gathers the impressions of 7000 workers and 1800 decision-makers on the continent. Specifically, it analyses the situation in seven countries and places Spain at the top, followed by Italy and the Netherlands. The list continues with France, Germany and the UK plus Ireland.

While 92 % of Spanish employees report high productivity, with a non-productivity rate of only 4 %, the UK and Ireland suffer from the effects of outdated technology.

In both English-speaking countries, just over 1 in 4 workers (28%) feel that they have solutions for seamless collaboration. This is the worst figure for the countries surveyed.

France and Germany also suffer from challenges. In the case of business leaders, 22% of French and 27% of Germans point to the lack of modernisation of tools as one of the biggest barriers to their subordinates’ productivity.

‘The productivity gap in Europe should be a wake-up call for business leaders,’ says Caroline Bright, director of business and strategy at Ricoh Europe.

‘When Spanish workers are more than twice as likely to be productive as their UK counterparts,’ with 9 per cent considered unproductive, “we need to ask why,” says Bright.

It is worth noting that, in 2024, Spain’s GDP grew by 3.2 per cent compared to 0.9 per cent in the UK. Against this backdrop, the local workforce feels ready to perform at its best.

‘Our research,’ details Bright, ’shows that equipping employees with the right technology is essential to unlock their full potential and drive productivity.’

‘As work dynamics evolve and businesses renew their approach to the office, it’s more important than ever to provide employees with the tools they need to operate and collaborate effectively,’ he says.

Those who act now to modernise their workplace technology will be better positioned to close the productivity gap and empower their teams to perform at their best and thrive in a competitive marketplace,’ says Ricoh.

Employees are already demanding technology improvements to boost their productivity. When asked what could benefit them, 40% of Europeans point to document management software, 37% look towards communication and collaboration tools and 36% call for automation software.