“Productivity is how much output a business or a nation produces for every hour worked. It is important because productivity has driven the economic growth and prosperity that we have enjoyed over the past 250 years. Economic growth helps to pay for hospitals, schools, and infrastructure. Thus, when productivity stalls, so does economic growth and spending on public services.”

“Northern Ireland’s productivity is well below that of the rest of the UK, the Republic of Ireland, and our continental neighbours. For example, what the average NI worker produces by close of business on a Friday is produced by the average UK worker by close of play on a Thursday. And the average German worker could leave their work after their coffee break on a Thursday morning and have produced as much as the average NI employee.”

“How can Northern Ireland and its businesses improve their productivity? There are two major drivers of productivity for firms and nations.”

“The first driver is innovation. Innovation is what enables workers to produce more per hour. Investment in technology, therefore, is crucial if businesses and Northern Ireland are to become more productive.”

“The second driver is skills. Productivity is all about workers producing goods and services. A skilled workforce can produce more output in a given time period. But Northern Ireland has a major skills challenge. Too many kids leave school without recognised skills and the province suffers from a brain drain. This means more investment in skills provision by schools, further education colleges, and universities.”

“Managerial skills are also vitally important for driving productivity. Well-trained managers result in more productive workers and increased adoption of technology. For Northern Ireland to increase its productivity, then its businesses and government need to invest in upskilling managers.”

To Apply for Leading Productivity or find out more about the course click the link below;

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