ReThink Productivity Podcast

Send us a textDiscover the intricate costs associated with employee turnover and how they impact your business. Join us as we dive deep into the hidden implications and strategies for retention with Helen Seale founding partner at WH People• Understanding the alarming rise in post-pandemic turnover rates• Exploring the hidden costs beyond recruitment• The importance of effective training and onboarding for new employees• Strategies for creating a more engaging workplace culture• The role of leadership in employee retention #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textSimon Hedaux, co-founder of Rethink Productivity, shares his expertise on implementing simple, actionable solutions to common workplace productivity challenges. Drawing from over 20 years of experience from the shop floor to productivity consultancy, Simon reveals how businesses can achieve quick wins through data-driven insights and practical process improvements.Understanding business operations through accurate, up-to-date data is fundamental to productivity improvementSmall changes like optimising stock placement or redesigning store layouts can yield significant efficiency gainsA retailer saved over £500,000 annually by simply redesigning till receiptsFuture productivity advances will focus on "intelligent stock" using video analytics and smart technologiesThe right work must be done by the right role at the right cost - expensive leaders shouldn't be performing basic tasksProductivity improvement is an ongoing process, not a one-time projectListen to Episode 2 and Discover the People Powering Productivity. #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textFocusing on the fundamental aspects of successful tech implementations, we explore the importance of team composition, data readiness, and fostering change within organizations with Paul Karnowski founding partner at WH People• Importance of having a dedicated project manager• Effective data preparation is crucial for success• Need for quick decision-making and transparency• Emphasising collaboration between vendors and internal teams• Cultivating an organisational culture that embraces change #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textCreating a vibrant workplace culture is essential for driving employee engagement and business success. Wendy Muirhead founding partner at WH People discusses the interplay between culture, visibility, and technology, emphasising the need for organisations to invest in their people while simplifying processes through effective Workforce Management (WFM).• Exploration of workplace culture’s impact on engagement • Wendy’s journey in establishing WH People • The role of leadership in cultivating organizational culture • Challenges of maintaining culture in larger businesses • Importance of communication and clarity of vision • Benefits of Workforce Management technology • AI’s influence on Workforce Management and employee engagement • Interrelation between culture, productivity, and retention • Investment in people as a strategic business imperative #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textDiane Wehrle CEO at Rendle Intelligence and Insights joins Simon for their monthly chat about footfall trends and shopping behaviours from February to March 2025, focusing on the impact of Easter timing differences on year-over-year comparisons. The conversation explores how footfall, consumer confidence, and inflation metrics are painting a complex picture of the retail landscape with some sectors showing signs of recovery despite challenging conditions• Footfall into stores down 5.4% overall and 4% in high streets (comparing non-Easter March 2025 vs Easter March 2024)• Food and drink spending dropped 6.3% this March compared to a 9.8% increase last March during Easter• Fashion sector showing signs of recovery with only a 2.7% decline, better than February's 7.4% drop• Grocery spending decreased by 5.4% versus a 3.5% rise last March due to Easter timing• Consumer confidence slightly improved from -20% to -19%, with better outlook on general economic situation• Inflation dropped to 2.6% in March (from 2.8% in February), with clothing at just 1.1% inflation• Hospitality remains challenging with high inflation at 4.22%, affected by labour costs and minimum wage increases• Upcoming National Insurance payment increases likely to impact businesses and consumer spending patterns• Next month's data will show the combined impact of the Easter shift and provide clearer year-over-year comparison #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textThe ReThink team shares fresh insights from the Retail Technology Show 2025 at the Excel in London, where AI applications in retail have evolved beyond marketing buzzwords to practical implementations in forecasting, computer vision, and data mining.• AI usage becoming more sophisticated with specific applications rather than just marketing claims• Computer vision technology now identifying shoplifting, tracking store traffic, and creating heat maps of customer movement• Surprising amount of cash handling technology despite declining cash transactions• RFID innovations eliminating manual scanning with fixed readers tracking merchandise throughout stores• Footfall tracking systems can detect mobile phones even when powered off• Stock management systems now prompting intelligent markdowns to reduce waste• Employee communication platforms continuing to evolve for frontline worker engagement• Notable absence of customer experience measurement technologies and concrete ROI metricsJoin us for our upcoming forum on September 11th in Birmingham featuring an innovation lounge with exciting tech partners, and catch us at NRF Europe in Paris the following week. #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textThis episode of ReThink revealed focuses on how workload modelling can empower businesses to optimise their workforce effectively. • Introduction to workload modelling and its significance • Karen’s journey in becoming an expert in the field • Importance of accurate data in building a successful model • Real-world examples showcasing the impact of labour models • Karen’s top tips for maintaining workload models • Introduction to ReBudget: A new cloud-based solution for modelling • Differences between Excel-based and cloud-based approaches • Empowering clients through continuous learning and support #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textSue and Simon discuss Chapter 11 - AI from their book "Every Second Counts: How to Achieve Business Excellence, Transform Operational Productivity, and Deliver Extraordinary Results." Don't forget to register for the Productivity Forum 2025 #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textDiane Wehrle CEO at Rendle Intelligence and Insights joins Simon for their monthly chat about footfall trends and shopping behavioursConsumer spending remains cautious as footfall stays flat across UK retail channels, rising just 0.2% in February compared to last year. Retail sales grew by only 1.1% while in-store non-food sales actually declined by 1%, revealing continued economic uncertainty despite some positive indicators.• Retail parks performed best with a 2% footfall increase, while high streets and shopping centres saw just 0.1% growth• All five major high street sectors (fashion, food/drink, general retail, grocery, health/beauty) experienced sales declines in February• Fashion continues struggling with a 7.4% sales drop, while household goods showed improvement with 4.7% growth• Fewer people are shopping (transactions down 8.1%, customer numbers down 6.7%), but those who do spend are spending more per visit (ATV up 2.9%)• Consumer caution likely driven by lingering economic uncertainty, interest rates, upcoming National Living Wage increases, and global political factors• Savings rates reached 10% - highest since the pandemic - despite wage growth of 5.9% outpacing inflation• Upcoming holiday season may further impact retail spending as consumers prioritize leisure experiences over material purchases #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn

Send us a textThis is what happened when I gave Notebook LM a copy of our book 'Every Second Counts' and used the interactive mode to be part of the conversation Simon thinks it is amazing, have a listen  #theproductivityexpertsRegister for the 2025 Productivity ForumFind us in the Top 50 Productivity PodcastsConnect to Simon on LinkedInFollow ReThink on LinkedIn