UK workers spend more time on admin than European peers

Ricoh UK has published research showing that UK workers spend more time on administrative tasks than employees in other surveyed European markets. The study found that UK workers spend 31% of their time on non-core admin.

The research covered workers in the UK, France, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands and Germany. Italy recorded the lowest share of time spent on admin at 21%.

The UK ranked ahead of Spain at 29%, Germany at 27%, France at 26%, and the Netherlands at 23%. UK office workers surveyed reported losing 15 hours a week to administrative work, or nearly two working days.

Only 51% of UK office workers surveyed said they spend most of their day on tasks that deliver direct value. The research also pointed to growing pressure on retention, with 15% saying they had considered leaving their organisation because of admin burdens alone.

Workplace Strain

The study suggests the issue is affecting team relationships as well as productivity. In the UK, 19% of workers said admin creates conflict or tension within their team, while 16% said they feel resentful towards colleagues with lighter admin loads.

Just 21% said administrative work is distributed equally, and 16% reported generational tension, with younger colleagues seen as resisting such tasks. Nearly a quarter, or 24%, said admin limits their productivity, while 21% said it leaves them less motivated or disengaged. Another 19% said it stifles their creativity.

Across Europe, 48% of employees surveyed said they were considering a new role within the next 12 months. The UK findings indicate admin is one of several pressures shaping how employees view their working day and their employer.

Ricoh also found a gap between how workers view the problem and how they think managers respond. Only 20% of UK workers said they feel their employer cares about admin overload, while 27% said managers underestimate the time it consumes.

Technology Questions

The research comes as businesses continue to review the role of automation and artificial intelligence in office work. In Ricoh’s survey, 34% of respondents reported feeling anxious about the prospect of being replaced.

Uncertainty over how technology will be introduced can add to frustration in workplaces already dealing with heavy administrative demands. The figures suggest the debate is not only about job redesign, but also about employer communication and staff confidence.

Ed MacArthur, Practise Lead – Process Automation at Ricoh UK, said: “UK organisations have pushed hard on digital transformation over the past decade, but that investment hasn’t always translated into simpler workflows for employees. Instead, many are dealing with layers of systems, reporting requirements and compliance processes that sit alongside their core role. That creates duplication, manual workarounds and a heavier administrative load than in markets where processes are either more standardised or less fragmented.”

He said the issue also reflected a mismatch between employee expectations and workplace systems.

Time Reclaimed

MacArthur added, “There is also a clear expectation gap. UK employees are used to consumer-grade technology in their personal lives and expect the same level of ease and integration at work. When workplace tools fall short or when automation is introduced without being properly embedded into day-to-day workflows, it adds friction. The result is a disconnect between the technology organisations believe they’ve invested in and the reality employees experience.”

The survey also asked workers what lighter admin loads would mean for their working lives. Nearly a third (31%) said they would enjoy their job more if they had more freedom to focus on creative tasks.

Another 30% said they would use the time to recharge, while 28% said they would invest it in learning new skills. These responses suggest employees see administrative work not only as a drain on time, but also as a barrier to development, recovery and engagement.

MacArthur said, “When a large share of the week is taken up by repetitive admin, it quickly drains motivation and limits the time people can spend on meaningful work. As the pressure builds, for some, it becomes a reason to look elsewhere. At the same time, uncertainty around AI is adding to the strain. Without clear communication and investment in skills, technology risks creating anxiety rather than confidence, especially as organisations add too many tools. Retention comes down to whether people feel supported and see a future for themselves in the company.”