Business & Technology
UK businesses urged to rethink productivity amid AI shift
UK businesses are being urged to rethink how they define and measure productivity during the country’s third annual National Productivity Week. Senior technology leaders warn that a narrow focus on doing “more with less” risks overlooking deeper structural issues that limit performance.
The government-backed awareness week has prompted commentary from industry executives who argue that traditional productivity levers no longer match the pressures companies face. They point to artificial intelligence, modern business applications and growing operational volatility as forces demanding a broader, more adaptive approach.
Many reject the idea of productivity as a simple output metric. Instead, they advocate continuous review of workflows, data use and skills, alongside careful deployment of automation. Several also stress the need for stronger partnerships with specialist providers as organisations confront complex technology choices and integration challenges.
Mark Wilson, Technology & Innovation Director at cloud and digital services provider Node4, said leaders first need a clear view of the constraints within their own operations.
“For businesses, improving productivity starts with understanding what’s holding them back. Everyone is trying to work harder or ‘do more with less’, but what does this really mean? The reality is that it looks different for every organisation. That’s why businesses need to take a step back, look across the entire company and identify where efficiencies can be unlocked. Crucially, this is not a one-off exercise. Productivity strategies need to evolve alongside the business and keep pace with technological advancements that enable businesses to automate simple tasks, enhance connectivity and unify systems,” Wilson said.
His comments reflect a broader shift in thinking that treats productivity as an ongoing programme rather than a single initiative. Organisations are reviewing their use of data, collaboration tools and back-office systems with a view to simplifying processes as well as increasing output.
Wilson linked that shift directly to the use of AI and other software platforms.
“By implementing tools such as AI, and modern business applications such as ERP and CRM, businesses can begin to streamline operations, strengthen collaboration and create a more connected ecosystem. While the integrations can be overwhelming and appear costly at first, the long-term benefits will soon outweigh any concerns. Giving people the right tools can reduce overall business costs, save time on tedious tasks and ease workloads, increasing motivation across the workforce,” he said.
He also argued that many organisations will need outside support as they modernise their environments and connect disparate systems.
“However, for many businesses this is a lot to take on, often in a short space of time. This is where choosing the right partner is key. Managed Service Providers can provide the technical expertise organisations need to introduce the tools and technologies that drive productivity gains, without the stress and complications they would face doing it alone. The key takeaway is this: when it comes to enhancing efficiency, productivity isn’t one solution – it’s an ecosystem,” Wilson said.
Manufacturing leaders are framing the challenge in similarly broad terms, but with a sharper focus on operational resilience and downtime. Factory operators face rising supply chain turbulence, skills gaps and pressure on margins, placing new demands on maintenance and information flows.
“For too long, manufacturing productivity has been framed as a maths equation: more output, lower cost, fewer people. Early AI reinforced that mindset. But that’s no longer where the biggest losses – or gains – are coming from.
“Today, productivity is defined by how well operations hold up under pressure. The real enemy isn’t throughput; it’s variability: unplanned downtime, supply chain disruption, inconsistent maintenance execution, hard-to-find information, and critical expertise walking out the door.
“The mistake isn’t moving too slowly on automation – it’s trying to automate everything at once. When technicians spend more time searching than solving, productivity breaks long before capacity does. AI should remove friction, turn asset data into instant answers, manuals into actionable guidance, and frontline input into repeatable execution.”
“This isn’t about doing more with less. In high-stakes environments, productivity comes from enabling skilled people to perform consistently on every shift, at every plant, every day,” said Paraic O’Lochlainn, VP, eMaint, a Fluke Corporation brand.
His comments highlight how manufacturers are starting to evaluate AI not only on cost savings but also on its effect on maintenance quality, knowledge retention and the consistency of decisions made on the shop floor. The focus is shifting from blanket automation to targeted interventions that reduce variability and cut the time technicians spend searching for information.
Across the wider UK business landscape, executives also see scope for AI to change the nature of work by reducing repetitive administrative tasks. This, in turn, raises questions about training, oversight and performance metrics.
“Productivity in UK businesses is often limited by how much time is spent on repetitive admin tasks, rather than finding solutions to more complex issues. AI is starting to change this by speeding up how quickly teams can move from a problem to a workable solution, whether in planning, analysis or day-to-day operations. In effect, it gives employees an additional layer of support, shortening workflows and enabling faster progress from intent to outcome,” said Josef Al-Sibaie, COO, Syspro.
He argued that the greatest value comes when staff use AI to expand the scope of their roles rather than simply complete existing tasks more quickly.
“The real opportunity here goes beyond efficiency. As routine work is automated, employees have more space to focus on critical thinking and more creative problem-solving. Unlocking that potential depends on leadership giving employees the freedom to experiment with AI, explore use cases relevant to their roles and build confidence through hands-on use. Curiosity and shared learning across teams sits at the heart of this, helping organisations move beyond seeing AI as just a tool for answering questions and instead view it as something that can actively carry out meaningful work, a means to automate manual workflows,” Al-Sibaie said.
Al-Sibaie also pointed to skills and governance as constraints that will determine whether early experiments with AI translate into sustainable gains. Organisations need clearer measures of success and stronger analytical literacy across staff groups, he said.
“However, there are still barriers to address. Alongside ensuring that employees across the business have the technical skills to use AI to its full potential, knowing when to trust, challenge or refine outputs is also critical. Given that knowledge now sits at everyone’s fingertips, it is the ability to synthesise actionable insights from this knowledge that will truly differentiate. Without those capabilities, productivity gains will be limited.
“Companies must define clear business objectives and measure the impact that AI has on achieving them, whether through reduced hours spent on a task, fewer human interventions in a process or lower error rates. These quantifiable proof points will serve as clear reminders of why AI is so powerful and drive continued excitement throughout organisations,” he said.
SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Forecourt Eye will give more than 2,000 UK forecourts free access to a new crime-reporting platform through a partnership with Facewatch. The move comes as unpaid fuel incidents remain above earlier levels and operators report wider retail crime and abuse against staff.
The new system will be added to existing Forecourt Eye tablets used at filling stations, allowing operators to manage fuel theft, shop theft and police reports on one platform.
Forecourt Eye’s analysis of 550 forecourts found unpaid fuel incidents averaged 189 a day in the five months after 28 February, up from 158 a day in the previous five months. Extrapolated across the UK’s 8,350 forecourts, that suggests daily incidents rose from about 2,400 to 2,872.
The estimated volume of fuel involved rose 24% from 87,800 litres to 108,900 litres a day. Its estimated daily value increased 48% from about GBP £131,000 to GBP £194,000, equivalent to roughly GBP £70.7 million a year if the current rate continues.
The figures point to a rising cost burden for operators as pump prices and incident levels increase at the same time. According to Forecourt Eye, unpaid fuel incidents, including drive-offs and declarations of no means of payment, are running 20% above the level seen before fuel prices rose sharply following the conflict in Iran.
Broader Crime
Operators say the problem now extends beyond the pumps. As forecourts have expanded into convenience retailing, they are also dealing with shop theft, intimidation and violence against frontline workers.
Michelle Henchoz, Managing Director of Forecourt Eye, set out the rationale for the tie-up. “Our customers have told us they increasingly want one place to manage everything from unpaid fuel and ANPR intelligence through to shop theft, violence and police reporting. This partnership delivers exactly that while fitting seamlessly into the way they already work. As offending becomes more organised and more sophisticated, operators need joined-up technology that helps them protect both their forecourt and their convenience store.”
Forecourt Eye already provides a tablet-based system that retailers use to handle incidents and recover payments from motorists who say they cannot pay. It also uses automatic number plate recognition technology to flag vehicles linked to previous offending.
From September, customers will receive an additional app on the same devices, giving them access to Facewatch’s crime-management system. Retailers will not need to install live facial recognition cameras to use the reporting platform.
Shared Intelligence
The partnership also links two separate intelligence pools. Forecourt Eye says it holds a private database of more than 300,000 vehicle registrations associated with fuel theft, while Facewatch maintains a national database of retail offenders.
Nick Fisher, Chief Executive of Facewatch, said: “The distinction between fuel crime and retail crime has largely disappeared. Modern forecourts face the same prolific offenders, violence and abuse experienced across the wider retail sector. By combining Forecourt Eye’s expertise on the forecourt with Facewatch’s crime-management capability, we’re giving operators a single platform to prevent crime, manage investigations and help police tackle repeat and violent offenders.”
Operators that choose to add Facewatch’s live facial recognition system will be able to combine number plate recognition on the forecourt with facial recognition inside the shop, creating coverage from a vehicle’s arrival on site to a customer’s departure from the store.
Facewatch says its wider retail network already spans more than 125 retailers across thousands of stores in the UK. Its system generated more than 500,000 real-time alerts of known offenders in 2025.
The Petrol Retailers Association said the change reflects how crime on forecourts has evolved as sites have become mixed fuel and convenience businesses. Staff are increasingly exposed to anger from customers over prices and to repeat offending that mirrors patterns seen across the wider retail sector.
Gordon Balmer, Executive Director of the Petrol Retailers Association, said: “Today’s forecourts are dealing with far more than fuel theft. Our members are reporting increasing levels of abuse and aggression towards colleagues who are simply doing their jobs and have no influence over the price displayed on the forecourt. Crime on Britain’s forecourts no longer begins and ends at the pump. Whether it is unpaid fuel, shop theft, organised crime or unacceptable abuse of staff, operators need joined-up solutions that recognise how these issues increasingly overlap. Bringing together technologies that help retailers prevent crime, manage incidents and support police investigations is a positive step for the industry.”
Ski Yodl Ltd, founded in March 2018, offered ski holiday packages to destinations including the French Alps.
The company’s LinkedIn profile described it as “a collective of ski industry professionals driven to create a customer-centric booking experience with skiing at its core”.
All holiday packages cancelled as Ski Yodl enters liquidation
After eight years, Ski Yodl, based in Norwich, is now set to close, having voluntarily entered liquidation.
A voluntary winding-up order was agreed on July 22, according to The Gazette, with Richard Cacho from RCM Advisory Limited appointed liquidator.
As a result, all package holidays booked through Ski Yodl have been cancelled.
ABTA, one of the UK’s largest travel trade associations, said: “We do not believe that there were any current customer bookings for package holidays at the time of liquidation.
“However, any customers who believe they may be affected should contact ABTA by emailing claimsrequest@abta.co.uk with details of their booking.”
The company also arranged accommodation-only bookings, which were not covered by ABTA protection.
ABTA advised: “Customers that paid by credit or debit card and had accommodation-only bookings will need to contact their card issuer for assistance with obtaining a refund.
“Any customers that paid by other means such as bank transfer will need to register their claim with the liquidator, RCM Advisory Limited, on 01603 331960 or info@rcmadvisory.co.uk.”
Other UK travel companies that have closed in 2026
Several UK travel companies have also ceased trading or entered administration in 2026:
Meanwhile, four UK airlines have fallen into administration or liquidation this year:
- Ascend Airways (liquidation)
- EcoJet Airlines (liquidation)
- Zenith Aviation Limited (administration)
- European Cargo (administration)
Have you booked a holiday with Ski Yodl? Let us know in the poll above or in the comments below.
SOFIAH NICHOLE SALIVIO
News Editor
Hoxton Mix has published an analysis of more than 29,000 virtual office and registered address sign-ups, showing that UK industries tend to establish new business presences at different times of year. The data identifies March as the busiest month overall.
The London-based provider examined 29,070 subscriptions recorded between 2017 and May 2026 and grouped businesses across 21 industry sectors by their primary UK Standard Industrial Classification code. The figures suggest there is no single national startup season, with sector patterns differing sharply across the economy.
March produced 2,951 sign-ups and was the peak month for six sectors: Information & Communication, with 892 sign-ups; Professional, Scientific & Technical Activities, with 833; Wholesale & Retail Trade, with 719; Real Estate, with 275; Healthcare, with 125; and Finance, with 107.
That concentration suggests the spring surge was driven mainly by service-led and knowledge-focused parts of the economy. Those sectors account for more than half of the startup activity covered in the analysis.
Different rhythms
Outside March, the pattern becomes more fragmented. May was the annual peak for six further sectors, including Manufacturing, with 127 sign-ups; Transport & Storage, with 101; Agriculture, with 13; Mining & Quarrying, with six; Household Activities, with 24; and Other Service Activities, with 176.
Several industries peaked at other points in the year. Administrative & Support Services reached its highest level in January with 429 sign-ups, while Accommodation & Food Services also peaked that month with 107.
Education and Arts & Recreation followed a different timetable, with both reaching their high point in April. The figures showed 130 sign-ups for Education and 144 for Arts & Recreation in that month.
Construction stood apart from the wider trend, reaching its annual high in August with 228 sign-ups. It was one of the few major sectors not to peak during spring.
Sector timing
The findings point to different operating cycles across industries rather than a single moment when founders are most likely to set up. Businesses tied to project pipelines, seasonal demand or professional services appear to choose different points in the calendar when arranging a registered or virtual office address.
The data is based on subscriptions for virtual offices and registered addresses rather than total UK company incorporations, so it reflects behaviour among firms choosing that type of business presence. Even so, the scale of the dataset offers a view of how timing differs between sectors.
The records span nearly a decade, covering subscription activity from 2017 onwards. Using SIC classifications, Hoxton Mix mapped sign-up volumes against each month of the year to identify recurring peaks.
For information and communication businesses, the numbers suggest spring remains the strongest period for setting up an address presence. Professional services and retail businesses showed a similar pattern, reinforcing March as the busiest point of the year for a large share of service-based activity.
By contrast, January appears to hold more appeal for some operational and customer-facing sectors. Administrative and support services, along with hospitality-related businesses, recorded their highest sign-up levels at the start of the calendar year.
Construction’s August peak marks one of the clearest breaks from that pattern. The timing may reflect the sector’s own commercial cycle, which differs from office-based and consumer-facing businesses.
A brief explanation accompanied the release of the figures.
“New founders often ask when the best time is to start a business, but our data suggests that’s the wrong question. The real question is: when is the best time to start your type of business? Technology founders appear to launch in spring, construction businesses build momentum later in the year and hospitality businesses often favour January. These aren’t random patterns – they reflect the different commercial cycles, customer demand and opportunities within each industry. It’s a reminder that successful founders aren’t simply following the calendar. They’re timing their launch to give themselves the strongest possible start,” said Chris Sees, Chief Executive Officer, Hoxton Mix.
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