Labour Productivity Statistics, 2016 Quarter 4

The release of Labour Productivity Statistics for the period up to 2016 Quarter 4 (October-December) was announced today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician. Key figures in the latest release are:

• In 2016 as a whole, labour productivity as measured by output per hour worked decreased by 1.5% in real terms (inflation adjusted), following growth of 3.4% in 2015. Output per hour worked is now 7.6% higher in real terms than in 2007, immediately prior to the recession.
• Labour productivity measured by output per job increased by 0.2% in real terms during 2016, following growth of 2.0% in 2015, and is now 6.4% higher than in 2007.
• The differences in growth rates between output per hour worked and output per job indicate changes in average working patterns. In 2016 the number of ‘productivity jobs’ in Scotland increased by 0.2% while total ‘productivity hours’ increased by 2.0%, indicating an increase in the average number of hours worked per job.
• This release contains quarterly estimates of Scottish labour productivity for the first time. These are consistent with the latest Quarterly National Accounts Scotland and labour input statistics for Scotland published by ONS. Quarterly labour productivity results can be volatile, so we recommend using the four quarter-on-four quarter growth rate, which is the same as the annual result for Quarter 4.
• This publication also includes experimental annual estimates of labour productivity for broad industry groups in an annex to the main publication. These statistics now include results back to 1998.

Background

The Labour Productivity statistics are available at: http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/PROD16Q4.

Labour productivity measures the average amount of economic output that is produced by a unit of labour input (measured in this release in terms of jobs and hours worked).

Labour productivity is a derived statistic. This means that it is not directly estimated, but is based on separate estimates for economic output and labour input. Labour input measures in this release are consistent with NUTS1 results for countries and regions published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Output (GVA) statistics are consistent with Scottish Government GDP and Quarterly National Accounts statistics.

Further information on Scottish economic statistics is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy

The figures released today were produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. More information on the standards of official statistics in Scotland can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/About