Call to ‘ramp up productivity’

A Derbyshire business chief has appealed for firms to ramp-up productivity following improvements in the region’s unemployment figures.

George Gowcher, chief executive of the Derbyshire chamber of commerce, was speaking after figures showed the number of Jobseekers Allowance claimants fell in August by 415 compared with July, and by 4,071 compared with August 2013 across the county.

Mr Gowcher said increased confidence had led to the increase in staffing levels and urged companies to start capitalising on it. He added that more Government policies needed introducing to ensure the employment increase “absorbs spare capacity within the economy”. He said: “The economy is progressing well, but in order to strengthen it further, additional policy focus should be placed on ensuring the increase in employment we have seen over the past year is complemented by the enhancements in productivity required to absorb spare capacity within the economy.

“This is inevitably linked with supporting greater business investment in the region.”

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