Ravin Jesuthasan Bücher

Work is traditionally seen as a "job," with workers as "jobholders," defined by titles, hierarchies, and qualifications. In this bestseller, Ravin Jesuthasan and John Boudreau introduce a transformative approach to work. They advocate for a new "work operating system" that breaks down jobs into their essential components and reassembles them into more effective combinations tailored to individual skills and abilities. In an era marked by rapid automation, the need for organizational agility, diversity efforts, and alternative work arrangements, the conventional job-based system proves to be inefficient. The authors present a roadmap for the future of work, showcasing real-world examples of organizations that have successfully embraced work deconstruction and innovation. For instance, DHL's use of social robotics in distribution centers raises questions about the definition of a "job" when technology and human workers collaborate. Similarly, Genentech's job deconstruction efforts have led to enhanced flexibility, engagement, and retention. Other organizations have found agility through internal talent marketplaces, worker exchanges, and crowdsourcing. This essential guide encourages organizations to reboot their work operating systems for a more dynamic future.

Introduction: AI and robotics are here. Now what? -- Part One. Optimizing work automation: a 4-step framework: Deconstruct the job: which job tasks are best suited to automation? -- Assess the relationship between job performance and strategic value: what is the automation payoff? -- Identify options: what automation is possible? -- Optimize work: what does the right human-automation combination look like? -- Part Two. Redefining the organization, leadership, and workers: automation implications beyond reinventing jobs: The new organization: digital, agile, and boundaryless and work-centric -- The new leadership: democratic, social and perpetually upgraded -- Deconstruct and reconfigure your work: using the work-automation -- Framework to navigate your personal work evolution

This book outlines how to design and activate a skills-based enterprise essential for adapting to the evolving landscape of work. As AI, climate change, and geopolitical conflicts reshape the workforce, a shift from traditional jobs to skills as the primary currency of work is necessary. This transition demands a rethinking of our understanding of work dynamics. Building on his previous work, the author, alongside coauthor Tanuj Kapilashrami, presents a framework for organizations to thrive amidst continuous change. Unlike many management books that focus on individual skills or the role of AI in enhancing agility through "internal gigs," this book examines how leading companies are transforming into skills-based organizations. It highlights the importance of new capabilities, such as work design and AI-driven resourcing, while advocating for a reinvention of existing work systems. By centering skills in the operational model, organizations can unlock agility, productivity, and value creation. The book offers a practical, step-by-step guide for leaders at all levels, demonstrating how to future-proof organizations for a post-fourth industrial revolution world. It emphasizes the need for perpetual reinvention to meet the demands of a rapidly changing environment.