Equipment failures are systematically draining thousands of hours of productivity each year from construction sites across Europe. Research from MILWAUKEE®’s whitepaper, Powering Up Productivity, reveals the stark reality: faulty tools are directly undermining efficiency in businesses, from small contractors to major construction firms. The new data exposes the severity of this productivity drain.

According to the research, 85% of construction workers report losing time due to tool faults, cut-outs or breakdowns. For a mid-sized company with 50 workers, even a seemingly minor loss of 30 minutes per day per worker adds up to 5,500 hours of lost productivity in a single year. That is the equivalent of losing three full-time employees to nothing more than equipment failures. This is more than inconvenience. It is a systemic drain on performance that construction businesses can no longer afford to ignore.

Beyond the numbers

The impact extends beyond spreadsheets. On-site, tool failures disrupt tasks mid-flow, delay project timelines and often force workers into unsafe improvisations. Workers left waiting for repairs or replacement tools face frustration and lost momentum. The knock-on effect touches every part of a project, from health and safety standards to workforce morale.

It is no coincidence that construction productivity in Europe rose by only 10% between 2021 and 2023. Poor-quality or unreliable equipment is one of the key barriers holding back progress, with 37% of construction workers citing this issue.

When workers can’t rely on their tools, it affects productivity, morale, safety standards and overall project quality. It also contributes to skills deficits, as 30% of workers cite skills gaps as a major productivity barrier. An issue that’s often worsened when workers are forced to struggle with substandard equipment.

Giving workers what they want

In the whitepaper, 92% of EU construction workers say they want better-quality tools, a clear signal that the workforce recognises the connection between equipment quality and productivity. Workers know the solution; reliable, fit-for-purpose tools that boost rather than knock back performance.

Advances in technology are already showing the way forward. MILWAUKEE®’s ONE-KEY™ system, for example, allows companies to track tools, prevent theft, schedule maintenance and monitor performance through a digital platform.

Tools designed for specific tasks maximise efficiency and precision; whether that’s MILWAUKEE®’s M12™ range for compact applications or M18 FUEL™ systems for heavy-duty performance, or the MX FUEL™ cordless system which has revolutionised the light equipment market.

The right innovations can help plug skills gaps, especially when workers are properly trained on tools that are produced and optimised for specific tasks.

Ergonomically designed, lightweight tools make a difference by reducing strain and helping to prevent musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), one of the leading causes of lost time in construction.

Meanwhile, strong service infrastructures such as MILWAUKEE®’s E-Service platform keep tools in circulation with professional repairs that minimise downtime.

The way ahead

Innovative tools and supporting services offer the potential to unlock significant productivity gains. The research suggests that improving equipment quality and reliability could boost output by as much as 20%. At a time when the EU construction sector faces a shortfall of 2.5 million workers, such gains could be transformative.

The message is simple: fit-for-purpose tools are a business imperative. When 85% of workers are losing time to equipment failures, the cost of inaction far outweighs the investment required to equip teams properly.

Ready to stop faulty tools from draining your productivity? Download MILWAUKEE®’s comprehensive ‘Powering Up Productivity’ whitepaper to access the full research findings, and tap into the detailed insights that could transform your construction operations. [Download the report here - https://uk.milwaukeetool.eu/header/whitepapers/]