Retail’s Future In Focus: The Future of Work

Automation is moving fast. But the human side of retail matters more than ever.

Join Mike Graen for the first episode in a new live event series focused on workforce transformation—and what it takes to build store teams that can thrive alongside automation, AI, and rapidly evolving operating models.

In this conversation, Retail’s Future In Focus: The Future of Work, Mike is joined by:

• Emil Martinez — CEO, Badger Technologies
• Mark Propes — Chief Business Development Officer, Vusion
• Vic Miles — Regional Business Leader for the Americas, Microsoft

Together, they explore how retail is shifting from “more dashboards” to orchestrated work—where data becomes prioritized action, technology reduces friction, and associates are empowered to focus on customers instead of collecting data for systems.

They discuss:

• Why retail is entering an era of convergence, orchestration, and collaboration
• The move from “org charts to work charts”—and why breaking silos protects margin
• How to reduce store-level cognitive overload and execution variability
• What the “future of work” looks like when AI drives next-best-action workflows
• How stores can function as fulfillment nodes without turning aisles into obstacle courses
• Why tech adoption can take multiple cycles—and what makes solutions finally “stick”
• How retailers, brands, and field teams can operate from a shared, transparent view of work

If you lead store operations, retail tech, supply chain, or CPG execution, this discussion offers a practical, operator-first perspective on what’s changing—and how to strengthen culture and capability while deploying new technology.

Conversations On Retail

Conversations On Retail is a gathering place and resource center for retail and CPG executives, built to make it easier to stay current, discover the technologies and solutions shaping the industry, and connect with the people driving it forward.

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