The productivity of British workers has increased at the fastest rate in more than six years, handing the government a rare boost in correcting one of the biggest problems facing the UK economy. Labour productivity, or economic output per hour worked, grew by 0.9% in the three months to September 2017, the Office for National Statistics said. In the UK, productivity growth has stalled since the financial crisis, putting it behind international rivals. Weak productivity is problematic because it signals weaker economic growth, therefore eroding the public finances. Previous UK economic downturns have typically seen productivity fall, before subsequently bouncing back to the previous trend rate of growth.

Source: The Guardian January 05, 2018 11:19 UTC