As I'm sure you know we don't know your exact weight/balance until the doors /holds have been closed, so we load up provisional figures in the FMC.....we could then sit on the gate waiting for confirmation of "the numbers" from load control or taxi out in the expectation that the confirmation of nil change or significant changes will be communicated to the crew before getting to the runway - the BA SOP is to take final figures on the taxi out via datalink and
AFAIK many/most operators do the same.
Where the BA system does often seem to be particularly bad compared with other airlines is the length of time it takes to get the confirmation - I can promise you it's been a source of frustration/annoyance for years and has resulted in countless datalink demands, VHF calls to company and even satphone calls to load control from downroute (whilst stationary of course
). It's all potentially very distracting.........personally I'll always try and let ATC know we may have a problem whilst there are still options to "sideline" us.
And yes, management certainly do know - please don't (always) blame the Flight Crew, give us the tools and all that.....