What do you think?
Work without Jobs: How to Reboot Your Organization’s Work Operating System
In this Wall Street Journal bestseller, why the future of work requires the deconstruction of jobs and the reconstruction of work.
Work is traditionally understood as a “job,” and workers as “jobholders.” Jobs are structured by titles, hierarchies, and qualifications. In Work without Jobs , the Wall Street Journal bestseller, Ravin Jesuthasan and John Boudreau propose a radically new way of looking at work. They describe a new “work operating system” that deconstructs jobs into their component parts and reconstructs these components into more optimal combinations that reflect the skills and abilities of individual workers. In a new normal of rapidly accelerating automation, demands for organizational agility, efforts to increase diversity, and the emergence of alternative work arrangements, the old system based on jobs and jobholders is cumbersome and ungainly. Jesuthasan and Boudreau’s new system lays out a roadmap for the future of work.
Work without Jobs presents real-world cases that show how leading organizations are embracing work deconstruction and reinvention. For example, when a robot, chatbot, or artificial intelligence takes over parts of a job while a human worker continues to do other parts, what is the “job”? DHL found some answers when it deployed social robotics at its distribution centers. Meanwhile, the biotechnology company Genentech deconstructed jobs to increase flexibility, worker engagement, and retention. Other organizations achieved agility with internal talent marketplaces, worker exchanges, freelancers, crowdsourcing, and partnerships. It’s time for organizations to reboot their work operating system, and Work without Jobs offers an essential guide for doing so.
Work is traditionally understood as a “job,” and workers as “jobholders.” Jobs are structured by titles, hierarchies, and qualifications. In Work without Jobs , the Wall Street Journal bestseller, Ravin Jesuthasan and John Boudreau propose a radically new way of looking at work. They describe a new “work operating system” that deconstructs jobs into their component parts and reconstructs these components into more optimal combinations that reflect the skills and abilities of individual workers. In a new normal of rapidly accelerating automation, demands for organizational agility, efforts to increase diversity, and the emergence of alternative work arrangements, the old system based on jobs and jobholders is cumbersome and ungainly. Jesuthasan and Boudreau’s new system lays out a roadmap for the future of work.
Work without Jobs presents real-world cases that show how leading organizations are embracing work deconstruction and reinvention. For example, when a robot, chatbot, or artificial intelligence takes over parts of a job while a human worker continues to do other parts, what is the “job”? DHL found some answers when it deployed social robotics at its distribution centers. Meanwhile, the biotechnology company Genentech deconstructed jobs to increase flexibility, worker engagement, and retention. Other organizations achieved agility with internal talent marketplaces, worker exchanges, freelancers, crowdsourcing, and partnerships. It’s time for organizations to reboot their work operating system, and Work without Jobs offers an essential guide for doing so.
232 pages, Hardcover
Published March 29, 2022
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 2, 2024
The ideas in the book are 🔥, but the book itself is pretty dry. It's not the kind of book I benefit from reading straight through cover to cover, so here's how I read it:
- Read the Intro Chapter
- Read all chapter intros, all highlighted headings and subheadings
- Looked at all the charts in any chapters
- Read the conclusion
- Took a look at the cited notes and bibliography
The simplest summary of the book is that 'the world of work is changing and the 20th century way we do jobs won't work in an age of automation and AI.' I think that summary short-changes the thoughtful methods and questions the author's pose, their imagined possibilities for change, their exploration of trends, and several case studies that the authors include.
I suggest reading the author's MITSloan article for an overview and the book website, there are also several interviews. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/w...
This is a very niche book as written, it's not making sweeping predictions like a Yuval N. Harari kinda thing, and probably only interesting to people who think about work and work structure for a living.
- Read the Intro Chapter
- Read all chapter intros, all highlighted headings and subheadings
- Looked at all the charts in any chapters
- Read the conclusion
- Took a look at the cited notes and bibliography
The simplest summary of the book is that 'the world of work is changing and the 20th century way we do jobs won't work in an age of automation and AI.' I think that summary short-changes the thoughtful methods and questions the author's pose, their imagined possibilities for change, their exploration of trends, and several case studies that the authors include.
I suggest reading the author's MITSloan article for an overview and the book website, there are also several interviews. https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/w...
This is a very niche book as written, it's not making sweeping predictions like a Yuval N. Harari kinda thing, and probably only interesting to people who think about work and work structure for a living.
August 28, 2023
I have mixed feelings about this book. First, I bought the audiobook. I suggest getting a hard copy or Kindle as I wanted to take notes or highlight passages. My bad. Second, while the author covers various issues, the concepts are applied to entry-level work and physical labor. The concepts need to be applied to knowledge work and intermediate-level work. AI and LLM will take over many entry-level tasks for knowledge work.
I may buy the physical copy and take notes even with my hesitations. The concept is not going away anytime soon.
I may buy the physical copy and take notes even with my hesitations. The concept is not going away anytime soon.
September 19, 2022
Work without Jobs - How to reboot your organisation's work operating system by Ravin Jesuthasan and John W. Boudreau
The central argument of Work without Jobs is that traditional 'jobs' should be 'deconstructed' into their underlying components, such as tasks and projects; with the complementary result that jobholders are seen in terms of their capabilities and skills.
This shift essentially would see the end to the 'job description'; and C.V.s would focus more on capabilities and skills, rather than experience in the form of educational milestones and previous job titles.
The approach 'requires fundamentally rethinking concepts like work, leadership, culture and organization' (p.ix)
"The new work operating system will require a profound change in the mindset and behaviour of leaders. It requires managers to think in terms of how tasks and projects are accomplished, not how jobs are organized." (p.100)
The authors employ the analogy of computer operating systems:
The old, traditional Operating System - categorises work into job and jobholders into worker through an employment relationship. It is characterised by job descriptions, job hierarchies and job qualifications.
The new Operating System - 'deconstructs jobs into their components and allows work to be perpetually reinvented by recombining those granular elements' (p.xi). It embraces a wider view of how work gets done embracing 'the gig economy' and 'alternative work arrangements' such as freelancers, contractors and volunteers (p.xii). 'The new world of work is one "beyond employment".' (p.xv)
Jesuthasan and Boudreau believe that this tradition OS 'is too cumbersome and ill-suited to the future.' (p.xi) and 'work systems (e.g planning, sourcing, choosing, assigning developing, engaging, rewarding) must evolve to reflect this new language of work'.
The authors propose that organisations break down their deparmental silos and develop internal platforms that allow talent to flow to work (such as projects) - effecting creating the opportunity for work to be done by anyone skilled to do it, be they brought in from outside the organisation (external gigs) or within the organisation ("inside gigs").
"The key is optimally and perpetually reinvent work by combining options such as the following: (p.xxx)
Talent in fixed roles with regular full-time employees.
Talent who flows to tasks and assignments - perhaps because their enabling capabilities are required in short-term specific burst by several different work processes (e.g. a freelancer or project-basd data scientist who moves between projects in marketing, HR and operations as needed.)
Talent who are in hybrid roles that are partially fixed because of work volume or skills dedicated to a job, but who can flow to specific challenges as needed (such roles often emerge from internal talent marketplaces where regular jobholders take on additional project work).
Impact of Automation
Jesuthasan and Boudreau acknowledge that automation has a significant part to play in the future of work. Their approach is summarised by the following four principles:
Start with the work (i.e. deconstructed current and future tasks) - not with existing jobs;
Combine humans and automation (not replacing one with the other);
Consider the full array of human work engagements (e.g. employment, gig, freelance, alliances, projects, other alternative work arrangements);
Consider allowing talent to flow to work (this might be facilitated by an internal or external platform).
Tasks need to be evaluated according to the skill level that is required - basic repetitive tasks should be autotmated; "below license " tasks that cannot be automated should an unskilled, gig or trainee worker where possible; leaving highly skilled workers to focus on "top of license" tasks. (p.139)
Implications for education (pp.127-33)
Jesuthasan and Boudreau touch briefly on the implications for education, whilst acknowledging that a full discussion of the implications on education is beyond the scope of the book. The new Work OS "means shifiting from a focus on worker education as degrees to focus on deconstructed learning and capabilities." (p.127)
The authors advocate a much more flexible approach to learning, arguing for "stackable credentials" ("part of a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time and move an individual along a careerpath or up a career ladder.") See 'More students are stacking credentials en route to a degree' Wired June 2, 2020.
Drawing on the work of Evelyn Glanzglass of the Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success, they highlight that the following challenges need to be overcome for this to happen (p.130-32):
Create a common langue for workplace and educational credentials;
Develop a common system of the transfer (portability) and value of credentials between institutions;
Bridge silos between and within educational institutions;
Overcome the disconnect between credit and noncredit course offerings;
Provide financial aid for deconstructed credentials, not only degrees;
Optimize and integrate the mix of learning in traditional classrooms, online, and experience.
The central argument of Work without Jobs is that traditional 'jobs' should be 'deconstructed' into their underlying components, such as tasks and projects; with the complementary result that jobholders are seen in terms of their capabilities and skills.
This shift essentially would see the end to the 'job description'; and C.V.s would focus more on capabilities and skills, rather than experience in the form of educational milestones and previous job titles.
The approach 'requires fundamentally rethinking concepts like work, leadership, culture and organization' (p.ix)
"The new work operating system will require a profound change in the mindset and behaviour of leaders. It requires managers to think in terms of how tasks and projects are accomplished, not how jobs are organized." (p.100)
The authors employ the analogy of computer operating systems:
The old, traditional Operating System - categorises work into job and jobholders into worker through an employment relationship. It is characterised by job descriptions, job hierarchies and job qualifications.
The new Operating System - 'deconstructs jobs into their components and allows work to be perpetually reinvented by recombining those granular elements' (p.xi). It embraces a wider view of how work gets done embracing 'the gig economy' and 'alternative work arrangements' such as freelancers, contractors and volunteers (p.xii). 'The new world of work is one "beyond employment".' (p.xv)
Jesuthasan and Boudreau believe that this tradition OS 'is too cumbersome and ill-suited to the future.' (p.xi) and 'work systems (e.g planning, sourcing, choosing, assigning developing, engaging, rewarding) must evolve to reflect this new language of work'.
The authors propose that organisations break down their deparmental silos and develop internal platforms that allow talent to flow to work (such as projects) - effecting creating the opportunity for work to be done by anyone skilled to do it, be they brought in from outside the organisation (external gigs) or within the organisation ("inside gigs").
"The key is optimally and perpetually reinvent work by combining options such as the following: (p.xxx)
Talent in fixed roles with regular full-time employees.
Talent who flows to tasks and assignments - perhaps because their enabling capabilities are required in short-term specific burst by several different work processes (e.g. a freelancer or project-basd data scientist who moves between projects in marketing, HR and operations as needed.)
Talent who are in hybrid roles that are partially fixed because of work volume or skills dedicated to a job, but who can flow to specific challenges as needed (such roles often emerge from internal talent marketplaces where regular jobholders take on additional project work).
Impact of Automation
Jesuthasan and Boudreau acknowledge that automation has a significant part to play in the future of work. Their approach is summarised by the following four principles:
Start with the work (i.e. deconstructed current and future tasks) - not with existing jobs;
Combine humans and automation (not replacing one with the other);
Consider the full array of human work engagements (e.g. employment, gig, freelance, alliances, projects, other alternative work arrangements);
Consider allowing talent to flow to work (this might be facilitated by an internal or external platform).
Tasks need to be evaluated according to the skill level that is required - basic repetitive tasks should be autotmated; "below license " tasks that cannot be automated should an unskilled, gig or trainee worker where possible; leaving highly skilled workers to focus on "top of license" tasks. (p.139)
Implications for education (pp.127-33)
Jesuthasan and Boudreau touch briefly on the implications for education, whilst acknowledging that a full discussion of the implications on education is beyond the scope of the book. The new Work OS "means shifiting from a focus on worker education as degrees to focus on deconstructed learning and capabilities." (p.127)
The authors advocate a much more flexible approach to learning, arguing for "stackable credentials" ("part of a sequence of credentials that can be accumulated over time and move an individual along a careerpath or up a career ladder.") See 'More students are stacking credentials en route to a degree' Wired June 2, 2020.
Drawing on the work of Evelyn Glanzglass of the Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success, they highlight that the following challenges need to be overcome for this to happen (p.130-32):
Create a common langue for workplace and educational credentials;
Develop a common system of the transfer (portability) and value of credentials between institutions;
Bridge silos between and within educational institutions;
Overcome the disconnect between credit and noncredit course offerings;
Provide financial aid for deconstructed credentials, not only degrees;
Optimize and integrate the mix of learning in traditional classrooms, online, and experience.
May 2, 2023
I see a new edition is in process, which is good as the book needs more case studies and examples. This is an excellent primer on the future of work to familiarize oneself with both the problems and the solutions. I especially like the discussion of platforms needed for the Internal Talent Marketplace, including the use of AI. I also like the discussion of alternatives to formal education such as stackable credentials.
This book has a lot of lists of things to do so can act as a checklist. Since it is describing a transformation and a shift, there are lists of questions to answer rather than answers and solutions. Clearly, this book represents a point in time, and people who can answer those questions and have success with the new work operating system will be ahead of the curve.
This book has a lot of lists of things to do so can act as a checklist. Since it is describing a transformation and a shift, there are lists of questions to answer rather than answers and solutions. Clearly, this book represents a point in time, and people who can answer those questions and have success with the new work operating system will be ahead of the curve.
June 2, 2025
حين تنتهي من قراءة هذا الكتاب، تجد نفسك أمام رؤية غير تقليدية تُجبرك على إعادة التفكير في كل ما تعرفه عن العمل والوظائف. يسألك المؤلفان سؤالاً صادماً: هل ما زالت "الوظيفة" كما نعرفها مناسبة لعصرٍ تحكمه الآلات والبيانات؟ ستجد الإجابة في الصفحات التي أمامك، حيث يُفكَّك العمل إلى مهام مرنة، تُوزَّع بذكاء بين البشر والتكنولوجيا.
لن تمرّ على الأمثلة دون أن تشعر بقوتها، من شركات رائدة مثل نتفليكس، إلى واقع يزداد تحوّلاً نحو اقتصاد المهام. هذا الكتاب لا يمنحك حلاً جاهزاً، بل يدعوك لتُعيد بناء تصورك عن نفسك كعامل في هذا العالم الجديد. ستتساءل: ما المهارات التي أحتاجها؟ وكيف أستعد لما هو قادم؟
إنه كتاب يُحرّك فكرك، ويهيئك لعصرٍ لن تكون فيه الوظيفة هدفاً، بل وسيلة دائمة التغير.
تابعني على شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي
سليمان العوشن
http://about.me/aloshan
لن تمرّ على الأمثلة دون أن تشعر بقوتها، من شركات رائدة مثل نتفليكس، إلى واقع يزداد تحوّلاً نحو اقتصاد المهام. هذا الكتاب لا يمنحك حلاً جاهزاً، بل يدعوك لتُعيد بناء تصورك عن نفسك كعامل في هذا العالم الجديد. ستتساءل: ما المهارات التي أحتاجها؟ وكيف أستعد لما هو قادم؟
إنه كتاب يُحرّك فكرك، ويهيئك لعصرٍ لن تكون فيه الوظيفة هدفاً، بل وسيلة دائمة التغير.
تابعني على شبكات التواصل الاجتماعي
سليمان العوشن
http://about.me/aloshan
January 9, 2024
Sometimes we think that artificial intelligence will replace many jobs and will harm our way of life. The same was thought with inventions such as the computer, electricity, the industrial revolution and others. And the world didn't end, it just modernized.
This book is an analysis of how a company can rewrite its "work operating system" to use tools such as automation through robots and artificial intelligence, becoming more productive and generating more jobs.
It also has many ideas for education and those of us who are workers in companies. How do we adapt to this new century?
I loved the book, I will take some of these ideas for my work.
This book is an analysis of how a company can rewrite its "work operating system" to use tools such as automation through robots and artificial intelligence, becoming more productive and generating more jobs.
It also has many ideas for education and those of us who are workers in companies. How do we adapt to this new century?
I loved the book, I will take some of these ideas for my work.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews