This country has a problem with productivity.

I have heard politicians say that for decades.

I haven’t looked it up to fully understand what it means and I presume that level of effort might be linked to the problem in some way.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt launched a four-pillar plan to boost productivity but I think I have unearthed the real problem that’s holding us back.

A study out this week found that staff who go the extra mile in their jobs are more likely to be exploited by their bosses.

As soon as your manager spots that you are willing to stay late, loyal and hard-working they classify you as a mug and start taking advantage of you.

Why would they offer you the promotion and tasty salary when they know you’ll stay anyway?

They will treat the more aloof members of the team nicely in the hopes of getting them to stay and actually do some work.

Surely the result of this is a slew of formerly loyal workers who are now filled with resentment and the rest of the workforce who realise phoning it in pays off.

The overall result is low productivity.

What’s my prognosis?

Here’s my one-pillar plan. Don’t work so hard.

If you’re in work and you get the urge to be helpful, count to ten and let the feeling pass.

It’s not just about you any more.

Our low productivity has made the IMF downgrade our economic forecast but if we all try a little less would could have that fixed in no time.

Yes, as a customer, I worry that this will backfire for me but I have always found poor service funny.

There used to be someone who would tut when I wanted to pay for my newspaper in a well-known newsagents in Swindon town.

I shouldn’t name them but it was years ago and WH won’t mind because Smith is a common surname.

It could be anyone.

Eventually I found it endearing.

If we all do the bare minimum the bosses will realise they have to hire extra staff to hit their targets.

This will lead to lower unemployment but it is already low.

So to hire more staff bosses will have to offer more pay, which will turn the UK into a higher wage economy.

Boris Johnson promised that in 2019 and yet somehow I’m the one who’s worked out how to deliver it.

I may be way off in my analysis as I didn’t research the theories or ask any financial expert to check my notes.

But if I’m right that’s exactly the lacklustre approach that will save the UK.