UK lags behind in Europe’s productivity race: workplace technology key to closing the gap

• The UK ranked last on Ricoh Europe’s workplace productivity leaderboard, with outdated workplace technology cited as a major barrier.

Ricoh Europe – London, UK – 28th April 2025: Research from Ricoh Europe reveals stark disparities in workplace productivity across Europe, with Spain leading the charge while the UK trails behind. 

The study, conducted by Opinion Matters for Ricoh Europe, surveyed 7,000 workers and 1,800 decision-makers across Europe* and underscores the impact of inadequate workplace technology on productivity, particularly in France, Germany and the UK.

Rank	Country
1st	Spain
2nd	Italy
3rd	Netherlands
4th	France
5th	Germany
6th	UK

Figure 1: Ricoh Europe’s workplace productivity rankings

Spain stands out as Europe’s most productive nation, with 92% of employees reporting high productivity and an unproductivity rate of just 4%. The eurozone’s fourth-biggest economy, Spain’s GDP grew 3.2% last year, while the UK’s economy grew just 0.9%. Reflecting this disparity, the UK ranks lowest for workplace productivity, with UK workers lagging 11% behind leaders Spain. In fact, employees in the UK are more than twice as likely to consider themselves unproductive (10%), compared to their Spanish counterparts. 

The findings demonstrate the critical role of modern technology in workplace productivity. In the UK, over a quarter (27%) of employees feel equipped with the necessary technology for seamless collaboration, the lowest figure among surveyed countries. British business leaders recognise the gap in technology provision, with almost a quarter (23%) of business leaders citing outdated technology as the leading barrier to employee productivity.

British employees are calling for better workplace technology to improve productivity. When asked what would enhance their productivity, 42% point to better document management software, which allows for collaboration between users of a digital document and well over a third to communication and collaboration tools (38%) and automation software (35%). 

Chris Hopton, CEO of Ricoh UK and Northern Europe, commented: “The UK’s productivity challenge highlights an urgent need for investment in workplace technology. With only 27% of employees feeling equipped with the right tools for seamless collaboration—and nearly a quarter of business leaders citing outdated technology as a key barrier—the solution is clear. To drive productivity and growth, UK businesses must accelerate digital transformation and equip teams with the right technology to work smarter and more effectively.”