Employees in Wales report the lowest productivity levels in the UK, with 76% saying they aren’t as productive as they could be.

Excessive meetings and wasted skills are to blame for UK productivity crisis, according to new data.

According to the survey of 2,000 UK employees from Cognassist, 83% of employees feel there are serious barriers to productivity at their place of work, with the top issues being poor communication with managers, excessive meetings, and a lack of skills development opportunities. Meanwhile, 77% say their team doesn’t understand how to use each person’s strengths effectively, leading to misallocated work and inefficiency.

Opportunities to boost productivity are being stifled: 80% don’t feel their workplace encourages creativity and innovation, and almost two-thirds (64%) think productivity would improve if they and colleagues had a better understanding of each other’s strengths.

On top of this, nearly one in five employees admit they are quiet quitting – doing the bare minimum at work – because their skills aren’t being used properly by their employers. Among Gen Z, the issue is even more pronounced: 28% say they are quiet quitting and 79% say they’re not happy at work.

The data also highlights significant regional disparities in workplace productivity. Employees in Wales report the lowest productivity levels in the UK, with 76% saying they aren’t as productive as they could be.

High staff turnover, micromanagement, and frequent distractions were cited as the biggest barriers, while 83% feel they lack the time and resources needed to work effectively. A similar proportion (83%) say their workplace does not encourage creativity or innovation, and nearly two-thirds (62%) believe that better recognition of individual strengths would improve overall productivity.

Chris Quickfall, CEO and founder of Cognassist, said:

“The UK’s productivity problem isn’t about employees working harder – it’s about businesses working smarter. Our research shows that people want to contribute more, but too often they are held back by outdated ways of working that don’t suit their cognition. We are seeing a workforce that is not only underperforming but actively disengaging because of these systemic issues.

 

“Businesses are stuck in a cycle of inefficiency, blaming remote working and lack of resources when the real issue is how they manage the people they already have. Rather than typecasting people with a blanket approach to management, productivity will come from ensuring each employee has the tools, support, and environment they need to put their unique skills to use.”