Q&A: Anna Rasmussen, Founder and CEO, OpenBlend
Anna Rasmussen is the Founder & CEO of OpenBlend – the platform for transforming 1:1s to boost performance and develop people. As a former executive leadership coach, Anna is extremely passionate about helping people reach their full potential through effective conversations that support employee performance, development, wellbeing and motivation.
Can you tell us a bit about your background?
I’ve been a leadership development coach for 17 years, to both individuals and groups of people managers. 10 years ago, I was struck by how many managers were asking for support in 1:1s with their direct reports and came up with the idea of using software to enable managers to have effective coaching-led 1:1s, and that’s how OpenBlend was born.
What does your company do? / What is your USP?
At OpenBlend, we’re on a mission to transform 1:1s to boost performance and develop people. We are a performance management solution, but we’re far from a tick-box approach. Our main USP is our expertise and focus on ensuring effective 1:1s are taking place at the right time, with the right focus and purpose, so that they result in the right actions and outcomes.
What’s special about the platform and your approach?
We ensure effective 1:1s by homing in on two main aspects. Firstly, the focus and the purpose of the 1:1, and secondly, enabling managers to navigate these conversations with confidence, therefore, enhancing manager capability. We use coaching frameworks to guide discussions as well as offering bite-size e-learning to both the manager and the employee to help them have better quality 1:1s.
What advantage does it add?
The advantages of our approach are that an organisation can ensure regular 1:1s are taking place across the business and that they are focused on what underpins performance, deliverables, development plans, and feedback, as well as knowing that their managers are developing on the job.
How does a product/service implementation actually look like and how do you measure success?
Whilst we recognise that one size doesn’t fit all when developing an individual, we also recognise that one size doesn’t fit all on an organisational level. The first part of an implementation would be establishing the value drivers and a success plan for rollout. We ensure that we’re culturally aligned, and we have our success metrics agreed upon. OpenBlend integrates with all HRIS platforms to ensure reliable data transfer, and then all that’s left is internal communications.
How are retailers using your systems to gain competitive advantage and what does best practice look like? Can you share a case study with us?
All our clients use OpenBlend to gain a competitive advantage throughout the employee journey. This starts with attracting candidates, onboarding new starters, and ensuring people are performing and developing in their roles.
One of our customers, Blue Square is at the forefront of retail marketing innovation. They wanted to create a culture of coaching and enhance employee development, so partnered with us to revamp their people management approach. After implementing OpenBlend, they saw a 200% increase in employee 1:1 conversations within a year. By fostering regular, personalised 1:1s between employees and managers, the team saw incredible improvements in employee performance, wellbeing, and retention.
Are there other companies you partner with?
We partner with Inspiring Workplaces, Vitro Global, and Humaans HRIS. All our partnerships are a meeting of the minds, and we’re all aligned on ensuring organisations are set up to support their people functions and employees to thrive.
What challenges and opportunities do you see in UK retail for 2025 / What challenges are retailers facing in 2025?
As we know, the retail sector suffers from an above-average attrition rate, coupled with employee expectations developing at an incredible rate, there is an opportunity to really support managers to meet these expectations in the day-to-day through effective and meaningful 1:1s.
How will you address these challenges and turn them into successes?
People leave managers not companies. A famous Gallup poll revealed that 75% of workers who voluntarily left their jobs, did so because of their manager, not the position itself. OpenBlend ensures managers are supported and developed to have the right conversations, and as a result, these challenges are addressed head-on, helping to reduce the challenges and costs associated with high attrition and performance.
What is on the horizon for you as a company?
Primarily, making 1:1s as easy as possible remains our number one priority. Alongside this, we are aware of the pressure HR teams and businesses are under to streamline their technologies and processes, minimising costs and time, whilst not impacting people and business performance.
Therefore, we’re focused on partnering with businesses that have a shared belief that no one should have to compromise on expertise, quality, and functionality when choosing their HR tech stack. Driving performance is a high priority for every organisation, and we’re committed to supporting them.
If you’d like to find out how OpenBlend can help your retail operation, visit them here or connect here.
