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As organizations seek to unlock productivity gains through AI, it will take more than simply layering new technologies onto existing work models. Instead, it requires an intentional evaluation of the work tasks that need to be performed, redeploying those tasks across humans and machines based on capability, and reconstructing entirely new ways of working. In this new article, Ravin Jesuthasan outlines five actions for doing so: 1) Start with the work itself—not the technology—by identifying which tasks can be substituted, augmented, or transformed; 2) Use AI as a force multiplier across the tech stack rather than a standalone solution; 3) Look beyond AI to holistically redesign work structures; 4) Plan ahead for how freed-up capacity will be used to create value; and 5) Make work design a core capability across leadership teams. A case study highlights how a global financial services firm overhauled its customer order process using this approach, resulting in a 59% workload reduction and 40% cost savings. To help teams begin this process, I’m resharing my one-page template that prompts users to identify critical tasks, how those tasks are currently performed, how AI might execute them in the future, and the level of change expected. While a simple tool like this isn’t scalable, it’s a powerful way to jumpstart meaningful conversations about how AI could transform task execution, reshape roles, and influence broader workforce strategies.
