I’ve been hearing a lot about productivity in the UK recently. What’s the deal?
Productivity is what experts these days call a really big deal. High productivity is widely accepted to be one of the keys to creating a happier, healthier and wealthier country.
Unfortunately, productivity seems to be the bugbear of the UK economy.
For decades, the UK has been a bit sluggish compared to other OECD members in productivity rankings. German workers, for example, produce as much in three and a half days than UK workers produce in five.
Wow….now that we’re talking about it, what exactly is productivity, anyway?
We’re glad you asked.
Productivity is generally understood as a country’s GDP as a fraction of the number of hours worked, or
Increased productivity in a country is associated with higher levels of happiness and job satisfaction. For instance, if the UK were as productive as France, we could book every Friday of the year off and still make the same amount of money.
A four day work week with the same pay packet? Yes, please!
Exactly! Fewer hours worked = more happiness!
Ok, so we’re a little less productive than France, Germany and the USA. How do we fix it?
If we knew, we’d probably have the Nobel Prize in economics!
There are a whole host of reasons why UK businesses are less productive than those in other countries. But as a general rule, increasing the effectiveness of your management is one of the best ways to increase your organisation’s productivity.
What, really? Management?
Yes!
Managers are more important to how a company is managed than business lines, government policy or geography. Well managed companies are also more efficient, productive and profitable.
Great! So we appoint more managers, right?
Not so fast, Jack!
Management is a skill. Not everyone is innately good at it.
It is imperative that their managers be properly trained to increase productivity.
But where can you get decent management training? I mean, not everyone can do an MBA, right?
There are loads of great training providers out there that offer quality management training for companies.
But one of the best ways employers can give their employees substantial management training is to get them in an apprenticeship.
The government has created several apprenticeship standards in management, ranging from line management to operations and departmental management.
Check out the Institute of Apprenticeships website to learn more about these standards.
I will. But how do I know the training they receive is any good?
By the end of an apprenticeship, every apprentice has to go through an assessment process called End-Point Assessment. This process makes sure the apprentice has all the knowledge and skills they need to perform well in their new role.
Sounds like a good idea. Who does the assessment?
End-Point Assessment Organisations (organisations approved to do so by the Education and Skills Funding Agency) conduct apprentice assessments.
TQUK, as an EPAO, supports training providers to make sure they have everything they need to prepare their apprentices for their final assessment. We want to make sure employers get highly skilled and confident workers at the end of their apprenticeship.
A skilled worker is an efficient worker, and an efficient worker will, without question, increase your company’s productivity.
To keep up to date with the latest apprenticeships and end-point assessment news, return to TQUK EPA’s blog or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
See you around the Hive!
