Latest News Stream - Productivity

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, measured by output per hour worked, fell by 0.8% quarter-on-quarter in Q2 2026, more than market expectations of a 0.5% decrease. It follows an upwardly revised 1.1% rise in Q1. On an annual basis, productivity increased by 0.7%, compared with a 2.1% rise in the prior period.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, measured by output per hour worked, rose by 0.9% quarter-on-quarter in the first three months of 2026, according to preliminary estimates, reversing a 0.5% fall in the previous quarter. On an annual basis, productivity increased by 0.4%, compared with 0.4% drop in the prior period. Gross value added (GVA) increased by 1.1% over the year, and the amount of hours worked increased by 0.7%. Output per hour was 3.5% above its pre-pandemic 2019 average. Since 2019, GVA has climbed 6.8%, outpacing the 3.2% increase in total hours worked over the same period.

Canadian business labor productivity declined 0.1% quarter-on-quarter in Q4 2025, following a 1.1% increase in the prior quarter and matching forecasts. This marked the second quarterly decline in the last nine quarters. Hours worked in the business sector edged down 0.1% in the fourth quarter, after falling 0.2% in the third quarter, a slower pace than the 0.2% contraction in real gross domestic product. Goods-producing businesses drove the overall productivity decline, with manufacturing and construction being the main contributors. As labor productivity edged down, the 0.5% rise in hourly compensation led to a 0.7% increase in unit labor costs for businesses. For the full year of 2025, labor productivity was up 1.1%, supported by strong growth in the third quarter.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, measured by output per hour worked, fell by 0.6% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to December 2025, according to preliminary estimates, reversing a 0.6% rise in the previous quarter. On an annual basis, productivity declined by 0.5%, compared with 1.0% growth in the prior period. Gross value added (GVA) increased by 1.0% over the year, but this lagged behind a 1.5% rise in hours worked, leading to the drop in output per hour. Despite the recent weakness, output per hour remained 2.4% above its pre-pandemic 2019 average. Since 2019, GVA has climbed 6.0%, outpacing the 3.5% increase in total hours worked over the same period.

Canadian business labor productivity rose 0.9% quarter-on-quarter in Q3 2025, rebounding from a 1.0% decline in Q2 and beating expectations of 0.4% growth. The increase marked the sixth gain in eight quarters. Real business GDP also rebounded 0.9%, reversing a 0.8% contraction in the previous quarter. Productivity advanced in nine of 16 major industry sectors, led by goods-producing businesses (+1.6%) and modest gains in services (+0.2%). Manufacturing, mining and oil and gas, agriculture, and real estate were the main contributors, while utilities declined for a second consecutive quarter. Overall hours worked in the business sector fell 0.1%, with a 0.6% drop in goods-producing industries more than offsetting a 0.2% rise in services. Wildfires in July and August had a minimal impact, reducing hours by 0.01 percentage point. Unit labour costs rose 0.3%, slowing from 0.8% in Q2, as hourly compensation increased 1.2%.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, measured as output per hour worked, rose by 0.7% in the third quarter of 2025, following a 0.6% decrease in the previous period, according to a preliminary estimate. On an annual basis, productivity rose by 1.1%, following a 0.5% decrease in the second quarter, as GVA increased more than hours worked (1.3% and 0.2% respectively). Output per hour worked was 3.1% higher, compared with pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels (2019 average), while output per worker was 2.1% higher compared with the same period.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, measured as output per hour worked, fell by 0.6% in the second quarter of 2025, following a 0.3% increase in the previous period, according to a preliminary estimate. On an annual basis, productivity declined by 0.8%, following a 0.2% decrease in the first quarter, as hours worked increased more than GVA (2% and 1.1%, respectively). Output per hour worked was 1.5% higher, compared with pre-coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic levels (2019 average), while output per worker was 1.1% higher compared with the same period.

Labour productivity of Canadian businesses rose 0.2% in Q1 2025, slowing from a upwardly revised 1.2% in Q4 2024. Still, this marks a second consecutive quarterly gain—the first such streak since the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase was driven by goods-producing industries, where productivity rose 0.8% versus 0.3% in the previous quarter. In contrast, service-producing sectors saw a 0.5% decline after a 1.3% rebound in Q4. Productivity increased in half of the 16 main sectors, led by wholesale trade (2.6%), agriculture and forestry (2.0%), and utilities (1.5%), while real estate posted the sharpest drop (-3.9%). Total hours worked rose 0.4%, rebounding from a 0.5% decline, driven by services. Unit labour costs fell 0.3%, the first drop after four straight quarters of increases.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, measured as output per hour worked, rose by 0.2% in the first quarter of 2025, following a 0.7% increase in the previous period, according to a preliminary estimate. This marked the second consecutive quarterly gain, breaking a streak of four quarters of decline or stagnation. On an annual basis, however, productivity fell by 0.2%, following a 0.5% drop in the fourth quarter, as hours worked rose 1.5% while output increased 1.2%. Despite the year-over-year decline, productivity remained 2.1% above pre-pandemic levels, supported by a 4.7% rise in output and a 2.5% increase in hours worked.

Labor productivity in Canada increased by 0.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024, marking the highest quarterly growth rate in a year, following an upwardly revised 0.1% rise in the previous quarter and matching expectations. The rebound in productivity reflects an acceleration in business output growth to 0.8%, while hours worked rose by 0.2%. Goods-producing businesses experienced a 0.4% decline in productivity, extending a 0.6% drop in Q3, while service-producing businesses recorded a 0.6% increase, driven by gains in most service sectors. Accommodation and food services (-1.3%) and administrative services (-0.3%) were the only sectors to see declines in Q4. The growth in hours worked was mainly attributable to goods-producing businesses (+0.7%), while service-producing businesses saw little change. Productivity rose in 10 of 16 sectors, with agriculture and forestry (+1.6%) posting the largest increase. Unit labor costs edged up 0.2%, the slowest pace in a year.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, measured by output per hour worked, rose by 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2024, rebounding from a revised 1.1% fall in the previous three-month period and breaking a four-quarter streak of decline, a preliminary estimate showed. On a year-over-year basis, productivity fell by 0.8%, as hours worked rose by 2.2% while output grew by 1.4%. Despite this decline, productivity remained 1.6% above pre-pandemic levels, driven by a 3.8% rise in output and a 2.1% increase in hours worked since before the COVID-19 crisis.

Labor productivity in Canada declined by 0.4% in the third quarter of 2024, marking the third consecutive quarterly decline, following an upwardly revised 0.1% contraction in the previous quarter and missing expectations of a 0.2% increase. The decline in productivity reflects a slowdown in business output growth to 0.1%, while hours worked rose by 0.5%. Goods-producing businesses experienced a 0.7% drop in productivity, reversing a 0.3% increase in Q2, while service-producing businesses recorded a 0.3% decline for the third consecutive quarter. Wildfires in British Columbia, Alberta, and Newfoundland and Labrador had a minimal impact on total hours worked, with a net loss of 286,000 hours in Q3. Productivity fell in 11 of 16 sectors, led by manufacturing, professional services, and wholesale trade, while utilities (+3.4%) and retail trade (+0.9%) grew. Unit labor costs rose 1.4%, driven by a 1.0% increase in hourly compensation.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, as measured by output per hour worked, fell 0.8% in the third quarter of 2024, following a 0.2% rise in the previous period, preliminary estimates showed. On a yearly basis, output per hour worked declined 1.8%, after a 0.3% decrease in the prior quarter. The drop was attributed to a 2.8% growth in the number of hours worked, which outpaced the 1% rise in gross value added (GVA). Meanwhile, productivity was 2% above its pre-pandemic levels, driven by a 3.6% increase in GVA since 2019, while the number of hours worked rose by 1.5% over the period.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, as measured by output per hour worked, rose 0.3% on quarter in the second quarter of 2024, following a revised 0.2% fall in the previous period and defying market forecasts of a 0.3% drop, preliminary estimates showed. On a yearly basis, output per hour worked decreased 0.1%, after a 0.1% rise in the prior quarter. The drop was attributed to a 1% growth in the number of hours worked, which outpaced the 0.9% rise in gross value added (GVA). Meanwhile, productivity was 2.1% above its pre-pandemic levels, driven by a 2.8% increase in GVA since 2019, while the number of hours worked rose by 0.6% over the period.

Labor productivity in Canada fell by 0.3% in the first quarter of 2024, following a 0.2% increase in the previous quarter and compared to market forecasts of a 0.4% growth. Lower productivity in Q1 2024 coupled with an increase in hourly compensation by 1%, lead to a higher cost of labor by 1.3%, much higher than the previous quarter at 0.2%. For the goods business sector, output declined QoQ by 0.1%, hours worked were unchanged, labor productivity fell by 0.1% and total compensation for hour worked rose by 0.8%. As for the services business sector, output grew by 0.7%, hours worked rose by 0.6%, labor productivity was up 0.1% and total compensation per hour worked increased by 1.2%.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, as measured by output per hour worked, fell 0.3% on quarter in the first quarter of 2024, following a 0.9% decrease in the previous period, preliminary estimates showed. Compared to the previous year, output per hour worked went up 0.1%. Output per hour worked increased because gross value added (GVA) increased by more (0.2%) than hours worked (0.1%) compared with the same quarter a year ago. Also, productivity is now 1.7% above the pre-coronavirus period, caused by an increase in GVA of 2.0% since 2019, while the number of hours worked increased by 0.3% over the period

Labor productivity in Canada increased by 0.4% in the fourth quarter of 2023, following a downwardly revised 0.5% fall in the prior period and compared with market forecasts of a 0.2% rise. This was the first gain since the first quarter of 2022, as business output increased while hours worked did not change. Service-producing businesses saw a 0.4% increase in productivity, the first growth in six quarters, primarily driven by retail trade. For goods-producing businesses, productivity edged up by 0.1% in Q4, after four quarters of decline. On average, labor productivity of Canadian businesses fell 1.8% over 2023, a third consecutive annual decline. This reflects the 0.6% increase in real GDP of businesses, combined with a 2.5% increase in hours worked. Growth in business output and hours worked slowed for a second consecutive year.

Labor productivity in the United Kingdom, as measured by output per hour worked, fell by 1.0% on quarter in Q4 of 2023, reversing from a 0.7% increase in the prior period while marking the first drop in three quarters, preliminary data showed. Compared to the previous year, output per hour worked went down 0.3% in Q4, shifting from growth of 0.5% in Q3 and 0.2% in Q2. However, productivity is now 2.0% above the pre-coronavirus period, the softest rise since Q1 of 2023. For the full year, productivity was flat, as output per hour showed no growth while output per worker dropped 0.6%.