logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2024
18m 25s

The global quest to boost productivity

Bbc World Service
About this episode

From tackling the long commute to sleeping on the job - we head to Lagos, New York, Tokyo, Bengaluru (formerly Bangalore) and Dublin to look at the diverse ways businesses are attempting to boost productivity and therefore also boost profits.

We hear from businesses installing sleep pods in the office and others using technology to boost production on their farms and in their factories but are these techniques really working?

Producer: Hannah Mullane Presenter: Leanne Byrne

(Image: Buildings working on a roof space. Credit: Getty Images)

Up next
Yesterday
Power Players: What does Mamdani's Manhattan mean for the world?
Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani rode a wave of anti-Trump sentiment and cost-of-living pressures to win the New York City mayoralty. But talk of new taxes to fund spending spooked some on Wall Street. Six months in, has he found a balance? Presenters: Michelle Fleury and Will ... Show More
26m 1s
Apr 7
Headspace: from mindfulness app to military partner
Headspace started life as a mindfulness app. Now it's partnering with the US Navy and investing in artificial intelligence for mental health support.The company's CEO Tom Pickett speaks to us about therapy, the increasing role of technology, and tackling burnout at scale.If you'd ... Show More
17m 28s
Apr 7
Anthropic: the $300bn AI firm at war with the White House
Anthropic’s rise from startup to one of the world’s leading players in artificial intelligence has been staggering, but so in recent weeks has been its row with the US Government.Today, we look at that journey to becoming a 380 billion dollar company, ask why Claude has become on ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2024
The ups and downs of global productivity
Labor productivity over the past 25 years has been a success story for some, a tale of stagnation for others. Investments and digital transformation can boost productivity for all economies. On this episode of The McKinsey Podcast, McKinsey senior partners Chris Bradley and Olivi ... Show More
28m 9s
May 2018
Office Spaces
Is your office killing your productivity? Dan and Alison answer your questions with the help of Pete Bacevice, a workplace researcher at the global design firm HLW and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. They talk through how to survive in an open office, deploy ... Show More
31m 53s
May 2023
Global Economy: Global Challenges Drive Productivity Investment
tail spinning
6m 9s
May 2015
Productivity
Why is UK productivity lower than in many other countries?Evan Davis begins a new series of The Bottom Line by looking at the productivity problem. The programme asks what productivity really means and how different sectors go about measuring it.Evan hears from three chief execut ... Show More
28 m
Nov 2022
It’s time to rethink your “productivity”
“Productivity” is the thing we’ve been chasing for years—more, better, faster. But is it really serving us? Or is it time for us to rethink how we measure what the increments of our success?Modern Mentor is hosted by Rachel Cooke. A transcript is available at Simplecast.Have a qu ... Show More
8m 31s
May 2023
How to revive US productivity
<p>Once an engine of US power and prosperity, US labor productivity has grown at a sluggish 1.4 percent since 2005. Imminent challenges such as workforce shortages, debt, inflation, and the cost of energy could be ameliorated with higher productivity. On this episode of <em>The M ... Show More
24 m
Apr 2019
Productivity Porn
<p>Productivity and how you get things done on a day-to-day basis is an ever-present issue for most everyone — including those in investing and alternative investing. There’s lots to do on a daily basis and you’ve got lots to juggle, so we want to help you make sure that you’re f ... Show More
27m 45s