Productivity

/ˌproʊdəkˈtɪvəti/ noun

Definition

The rate at which work is done or goods are produced, especially compared to the time or resources used. It can also mean how much useful work a person or system gets done.

Etymology

From *productive* (from Latin *productivus* 'fit for production') plus the noun suffix *-ity*. It builds on the Latin root *producere* 'to bring forth'.

Kelly Says

Productivity sounds neutral and scientific, but it always raises a hidden question: productive for whom? A person can be highly productive for a company while burning out personally. The word measures output, not well-being, so it’s powerful but incomplete.

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