UK must use new technologies in the workplace to reverse productivity issues, say researchers

The UK needs to embrace technology to address its productivity slowdown, according to Lancaster University researchers.

Lesley Giles, director at Lancaster University’s research and analysis firm, the Work Foundation, said the UK had the biggest productivity slowdown in the G7 group since the recession and must utilise new technologies to change this.

“We simply have to embrace the potential of digital technology, combined with the right training, culture and leadership to ensure it’s utilised to its full potential,” she said.

She added that employees must be given adequate time to learn from their mistakes as new technologies enter the workplace.

This comes as part of a report from software firm, Citrix in partnership with the Work Foundation, which interviewed 1,000 workers and 500 mangers of medium and large UK enterprises.

The survey has found more than half of managers (54%) see their organisations as digitally forward thinking, this is despite the fact that the majority (62%) agree there is a correlation between technology and productivity.

More than two-thirds of the employees (69%) said they see a correlation between the two, and 80% thought technology has a positive influence at work.

Workers also see new technology as the biggest driver of better performance levels in the future (53%), ahead of changing ways of working (45%) and changing job roles (41%).