Back to glossary
FINANCIAL TERMS
Productivity
Description
Productivity means how much output is produced from a certain amount of input, such as time, labor, or resources.
In simple terms, productivity shows how efficiently people, businesses, or economies produce goods and services.
Productivity is important because higher productivity can help an economy grow without simply using more workers or resources. When productivity rises, businesses may produce more, wages may improve, and living standards may increase over time.
For example, if a worker can produce 20 items per hour instead of 10 items per hour using better tools or better methods, that worker’s productivity has increased.
Productivity is not the same as working harder. It often means producing more or better results by working smarter, using better technology, or improving processes.