Reimagining Work: How to Deconstruct Jobs and Unlock Workforce Potential - 2025 Next Practices Weekly

In this future-focused edition of Next Practices Weekly, i4cp welcomed Dr. John W. Boudreau, Future of Work Strategist, Author, and Researcher, for a high-impact conversation on reimagining how work gets done. Drawing on his groundbreaking research and insights from his book, Work Without Jobs: How to Reboot Your Organization’s Work Operating System, Dr. Boudreau introduced a bold new “work operating system” that shifts away from rigid job structures toward dynamic, skill-based work models—empowering HR leaders to align talent more precisely with evolving business needs.

Moderated by cohosts Katheryn Brekken, Ph.D., and Tom Stone, the session underscored the pivotal role HR leaders must play in spearheading this transformation. Attendees were invited to move beyond traditional job constructs and embrace a vision of workforce agility, equity, and innovation through purposeful work redesign.

Key Topics Discussed

• From Jobs to Work: A Strategic Shift
  Dr. Boudreau showed how organizations can break down traditional jobs into tasks, projects, and skills—then reassemble them into agile, business-aligned configurations.
• The New Work Operating System
  Forward-thinking companies are designing systems that dynamically match work with talent—human and digital—across full-time roles, gig work, contractors, and AI.
• Unlocking Workforce Agility and Equity
  This model not only improves efficiency but also drives equity by expanding access to meaningful work for talent often overlooked in traditional structures.
• The Role of HR in Work Deconstruction
  HR must lead as architects of change—mapping opportunities where work fragmentation can elevate human capability and solve evolving business challenges.

This conversation offered more than just big ideas—it delivered actionable strategies that HR professionals can implement today. Dr. Boudreau’s insights challenge conventional thinking and provide a clear, research-backed roadmap for unlocking untapped workforce capacity. If you missed the live session or want to revisit the discussion, we highly recommend watching the full recording to fully absorb this transformative approach to the future of work.

Resources Shared

• Is your organization truly remote-first? Find out what leading companies are doing differently—download the new joint i4cp-Akamai report, Remote First Organizations.
• Register for 2026 Conference -  i4cp's Next Practices Now Conference

To ensure open discussion, this event was exclusively for HR practitioners. Vendors and consultants were not permitted to attend.