RETHINKING WORK

Seismic Changes in the Where, When and Why

This book is for everybody who works, whether you are a longtime senior leader or a brand-new employee, whether you work in a large company or for yourself, and whether you work in a developed or developing market. 

Work is central to our lives and as it gets redefined, nothing is as important as being informed and provided with tools to thrive in the coming transformation.

This book is divided into three sections. The first section examines why we need to rethink work—the factors that are causing traditional structures and styles to be ineffective. The second section analyzes the ways in which work needs to be rethought. The third section addresses what we can do about it—the steps that organizations can take to change themselves so they’ll be prepared for the Great Rethinking. 

What’s Inside

SECTION I

THE FORCES DRIVING THE GREAT RETHINKING 

Chapter 1 | Seismic Societal Shifts

Chapter 2 | Commuting to the Multiverse

Chapter 3 | The New Marketplaces

Chapter 4 | Gig Work, Side Hustles, and Passion Projects

Chapter 5 | The COVID Catalyst 

SECTION I I

WHAT WORK WILL BECOME 

Chapter 6 | Fractionalized Employees

Chapter 7 | Machine-Human Coexistence

Chapter 8 | The Unbundling of the Office

Chapter 9 | The Fall of Old Managers and the Rise of New Leaders 

SECTION I I I

PREPARING FOR THE FUTURE OF WORK 

Chapter 10 | Reimagine the Company with Paradigm Shifts in Mind 

Chapter 11 | Retrain the Workforce

Chapter 12 | Redesign the Structures  

Chapter 13 | Recalculate Financials  

Chapter 14 | Re-Vision the Work-Rippled World 

Where to Buy

Rethinking Work achieves something truly remarkable: it brings together five complex forces that are reshaping our world and offers a compelling vision for how for these forces will upend work as we know it. As a lifelong learner, I found the book’s mix of data and story-telling to be enlightening, sobering, and optimistic. As a leader, I found Tobaccowala’s recommendations on reimaging the workplace to be transformational. This is that rare book that simultaneously helps you look at the world, your work, and your life in new ways.”

Seth Green, Dean, Graham School, University of Chicago

"In an era where work is analyzed, predicted, and debated like never before, Rishad Tobaccowala's book offers a profound rethinking of its essence. By exploring work across its many dimensions—the current and the enduring, the public and the personal, the technical and the emotional—Tobaccowala challenges us to engage our creativity and envision new ideas for the future. This book masterfully adjusts what we observe today into what we imagine the future can contain. It’s what Rishad does best and what anyone thinking about work needs most.”

 Emmanuel Andre Chief Talent Officer Publicis Groupe

“Generational, technological and cultural discontinuities are reimagining work and unbundling workplaces. (Rishad) Tobaccowala has insightfully brings together these varying and dramatic shifts underway. He challenges leaders to rethink how they attract, coach and develop, and retain talent in a hyper-fragmented world, recognizing that it is in the empathy and humanity of leadership that future advantage lies” 

Laxman Narasimhan, former CEO, Starbucks

“For anyone thinking, “When will work norms return to what we remember from before the Pandemic?”, the answer is… “Never.”  It is time to fully understand the magnitude of change in the way companies and their workforces now engage with each other, and how this will continue to evolve.  Renowned futurist, Rishad Tobaccowala has always been several steps ahead of major change waves, helping companies to fully comprehend the underlying forces of these shifts so they can move to gain advantage and avoid irrelevancy.  In his book, “Rethinking Work”, Rishad uses data to illustrate profound changes employers are facing, and he covers technology that enables remote working, collaboration, and new forms of creativity where, of course, AI is playing a big role.  Importantly, the book dives deep into the mindset of workers, particularly newer entrants to the workforce.  Competition to hire and retain this next generation of workers will intensify, and Rishad prescribes approaches that will keep them motivated to perform.  Consider “Rethinking Work” as a handbook for re-thinking organizational structure, adapting new working and hiring policies, and creating platforms and environments that enable teams to do their best work.”

Sarah Fay, Chair Ziff-Davis and Former CEO of  Aegis Media America 

"Rishad Tobaccowala continuously teaches us that the future does not fit into the containers of the past, and Re-Thinking Work is no exception. This book is a visionary guide to the seismic shifts reshaping our work lives and an invitation to rethink, retrain, and reimagine what we can become as individuals and organizations. It’s a must-read for leaders and individuals preparing for the future."

Nirit Cohen, Founder WorkFutures and Intel Veteran

“Rishad provides invaluable advice to leaders by sharing insights from successful contemporary leaders, while also providing a framework on how the future will evolve.     This is a great book for those who will lead today, tomorrow, and the decade after that.”


David W. Kenny, Executive Chairman, Nielsen

"Insightful and timely, this book is a must-read! Rishad brilliantly captures the dramatic shifts happening in the workplace and offers practical strategies to adapt. Whether you're a seasoned leader or just starting out, it empowers you to embrace new opportunities with confidence."

Sanjay Khosla, Senior Fellow and Adjunct Professor, The Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. Former President, Kraft International 

"Several different trends seem to be "changing everything" for leaders all at once. Tobaccowala parses each of them in a way that will help you stay oriented. Throughout, he reminds us that only one thing is certain: we must center our humanity as we navigate these changes. " 

Kim Scott, Author of Radical Candor and Radical Respect