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As organizations rethink how work gets organized in response to AI, faster business cycles, and growing pressure for cross-functional execution, this Deloitte Insights article raises an important question: are traditional corporate functions such as HR, finance, IT, legal, and procurement still fit for purpose? Its core argument is that these functions were designed for specialization and efficiency, but many are no longer set up to support the speed, agility, and coordination that today’s business priorities require, and Deloitte’s survey of 9,000+ leaders found only 7% are making great progress here. One framework in the article separates work that helps “run the business” from work that helps “grow the business.” Run-the-business work covers repeatable, transaction-heavy activities suited for standardization, automation, and shared delivery models. Grow-the-business work (as shown in the post image) centers on strategic scenarios such as AI deployment, M&A, and market expansion, where success depends on aligning expertise around a shared outcome and is better suited for cross-functional teams organized around those outcomes. The distinction matters for design: not all functional work should be reorganized the same way, and clarity on which category a given activity falls into can help leaders make more deliberate decisions about structure, accountability, and where to invest in capability.
