What If We Could Begin Again? Rishad Tobaccowala on Rethinking Work

In a world where work is being reshaped by technology, shifting employee expectations, and the lingering effects of the pandemic, what does it really mean to rethink work?

In this episode of The Future of Less Work, Nirit Cohen and Rishad Tobaccowala explore the fundamental shifts reshaping the world of work, drawing insights from Rishad’s latest book, Rethinking Work. As businesses grapple with return-to-office policies, evolving employee expectations, and the impact of AI, the conversation moves beyond surface-level debates to examine deeper structural changes. Rather than focusing on where people work, the real question is how organizations can design work that aligns with the realities of a new era—where flexibility, autonomy, and talent mobility are becoming the norm. His latest book, Rethinking Work, challenges us to move past outdated models of employment and embrace a new era where autonomy, flexibility, and purpose take center stage.

Listen to Rishad argue that companies need to stop trying to fit the future into outdated models and instead rethink everything—from leadership and corporate structures to how success is measured. The discussion offers a powerful call to action for leaders and individuals alike: What if we could begin again?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fAzWQcPsWI

Guest Information:

Rishad Tobaccowala was named by BusinessWeek as one of the top business leaders for his pioneering innovation and TIME magazine dubbed him one of five “Marketing Innovators.”  He is one of only 300 people elected to the Advertising hall of Fame since 1948. 

Rishad is the author of “Restoring the Soul of Business: Staying Human in The Age of Data” which helps people think, feel, and see differently about how to grow their companies, their teams and themselves to remain relevant in transformational time and  “Rethinking Work”  which helps people thrive amidst the seismic changes that will occur at work due a combination of changing demographics, new mindsets, the rise of distributed work, and the spread of AI.

Rishad is the host of the What Next? podcast and publishes a weekly Substack called “The Future Does Not Fit into the Containers of the Past”.

Rishad Tobaccowala remains a Senior Advisor to the Publicis Groupe where he has spent his entire 37 career, most recently serving as the Chief Growth Officer and Chief Strategist of the 106,000 person firm.

Rethinking Work by Rishad Tobaccowala – https://rishadtobaccowala.com/rethinking-work

Read Rishad’s thought letter, The Future Does Not Fit in the Containers of the Past – https://rishad.substack.com/

Your Turn:

If you could design your ideal way of working, what would it look like? Share your thoughts using #TheFutureOfLessWork, and let’s continue the conversation!

Chapters:

00:00 – The Age of De-Bossification01:30 –The Forces Reshaping Work
05:00 – Do We Really Need the Office?  
09:10 – Why One-Size-Fits-All Work Models No Longer Work?
12:20 – The Five Seismic Shifts Redefining Work Today
16:30 –The Shift from Work-Centric to Life-Centric Thinking
18:40 – The AI Productivity Dilemma: Who Keeps the Value?
21:50 –Why Workers Have More Power Than Ever?
25:00 – The Rise of Fractional Employees and Portfolio Careers
30:00 – Why Organizations Must Rethink Full-Time Employment?
32:50 – What If You Were Designing Work from Scratch Today?
35:10 – How AI Changes Work?
39:00 – The One Question Every Leader Should Be Asking
45:00 – What If We Could Begin Again? Rethinking Work from the Ground Up