Peak without panic: Moving from reactive to proactive workforce planning in multi-peak retail.

Retail demand no longer follows one clear, predictable peak. Today’s stores are navigating constant pressure points driven by weather, local events, promotions, category shifts, and sudden changes in trading.

Talking Shop 2026, a joint report from Rotageek and Retail Week based on insights from 500 UK frontline retail workers, shows how rapidly changing demand patterns are reshaping store operations.

Yet many retailers are still relying on reactive ways of working. The research found that 71% of frontline workers say scheduling is reactive, creating cost pressure, inconsistent customer experience, and missed opportunities when demand spikes.

This webinar builds on that research, bringing together industry and operational perspectives to explore what these shifts mean in practice for retail workforce leaders.

Calling all retail leaders. Join Rotageek, Retail Week and TPP Retail for a practical discussion on how to move from reactive scheduling to more proactive workforce planning in today’s multi-peak retail environment.

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00:00 — Welcome & introductions

03:05 — What the session will explore: retail’s new “multi-peak” reality

04:35  — Jason, Rotageek: “Stores are doing far more than they used to”

06:43 — Ellis Hawthorne: “71% of shop floor workers say planning feels reactive”

08:48 — How frontline retail pressure has changed since pre-COVID

11:00 — Poll 1 – What’s driving unexpected demand in stores?

12:30 — Jason, Rotageek: “Weather adds an odd level of complexity to scheduling”

14:30 — Ellis Hawthorne: “Social media is enormously impactful”

16:00 — Why retail peak trading no longer happens in just a few key moments

18:30 — Jason, Rotageek: “You can send vacant shifts out to nearby teams”

21:00 — Cultural moments, viral trends & retail demand spikes

24:00 — Reactive vs proactive workforce planning

27:00 — Ellis Hawthorne: “The pressure on workers is immense”

32:00 — AI & intelligent scheduling in retail

33:30 — Jason, Rotageek: “People want things immediately”

36:00 — Why frontline involvement matters in technology adoption

40:00 — Ellis Hawthorne: “Nobody enjoys having decisions made from the top down”

47:30 — Jason, Rotageek: “Workforce management shouldn’t just be seen as cost control”

51:00 — Jason, Rotageek: “Assisted scheduling feels like a co-pilot”

53:00 — Final advice for retailers & key takeaways

In this session, you’ll hear about:

• How retail demand is becoming more fragmented and less predictable
• What multi-peak retail means in practice for store operations
• Why traditional approaches to peak planning are no longer enough
• Where reactive workforce planning creates pressure on teams
• What more proactive workforce planning looks like in practice
• How technology and AI can support better decision-making when implemented effectively

Hear from retail and workforce leaders shaping the next phase of store operations. This session brings together voices from across retail research, operations and frontline experience.

Together, they explore what the latest frontline insight tells us, where gaps still exist, and what retailers can do now to build on their workforce planning approach in a more volatile trading environment. 

• How modern retail demand is evolving beyond traditional peak periods
• Why reactive scheduling creates operational pressure
• What better workforce planning looks like in practice
• How to move from reactive to more proactive decision-making
• How technology and AI can support workforce planning without adding complexity

Catch up on a practical conversation on demand volatility, AI adoption, and workforce planning in modern retail.