Redesigning Organizational Structures for the Future of Work
The modern organization looks nothing like the one we knew a few years ago. As work becomes more fluid and distributed, companies must move past legacy assumptions about structure, control, and employment. Rishad Tobaccowala, former Publicis Strategy Advisor and author of Rethinking Work, offers a compelling case for redesigning organizations to reflect how work actually happens today—and to equip leaders for what’s next.
The Outdated Organization
The modern organization does not fit in the containers or the mindsets of the past.
Until early 2020, most companies operated under these five beliefs:
The organization gives structure and directs work.
Tenure and experience are critical to advancement.
Most of the work is done inside an organization.
Fairness requires a common set of rules and ways of working that apply to all.
Most people are full-time employees of the company.
The Modern Organization
Now, these are being replaced by new ideas.
The organization enables talent to create structure and direct work.
Expertise and constant learning are more valued than tenure.
Most of the work is done outside an organization by suppliers and by accessing talent as needed.
Fairness means customizing programs for each talent and giving everyone equal access.
Most staff are contract workers, freelancers, or fractionalized employees.
Dump the Charts: A Three-Dimensional Re-Design
To move forward, companies must think beyond traditional organizational charts, boxes and lines that define roles and reporting lines. While flattening hierarchies or streamlining supply chains may help, that’s only part of what needs redesigning.
Organizational charts reflect how leaders want the company to operate, not how it actually does. They define zones of control, not influence. Titles may carry authority but not decision-making power. Business is messy. The static map often fails to account for freelancers, external partners, or the real fluidity of operations.
Tenets of Organizational Design
Organizations must design structures from the outside in rather than the inside out. In a fast-changing world, companies must create their processes and procedures based on marketplace realities. This means embracing multiple working models, customized to markets, talent competition, and innovation needs.
Redesigning organizational structures must take the following factors into consideration:
Customer benefit - Design structures to meet the diverse and evolving needs of different customer groups.
Talent support - Organize in ways that help attract, retain, and grow a wide range of talent.
Change adaption - Ensure the structure can adapt easily to changes in the market, competition, or regulations.
Permeability - Organizations should collaborate effectively with external partners, combining strengths to enhance offerings, respond quickly to change and deliver more value.
Trusting Talent in Modern Teams
To commit to this type of redesign requires trust—trust in talent and teams to drive financial outcomes, customer satisfaction, and ongoing relevance. By shifting structures, organisations empower people to take initiative while management sets the conditions for success—offering guidance, coaching, and establishing clear guardrails to manage risk.
This trust increasingly extends beyond full-time teams. Integrating freelance and project-based talent gives organisations the agility to adapt quickly, access specialised skills, and scale capabilities as needed. Trusted talent—whether inside or outside the organisation—is central to navigating complexity, solving problems close to the market, and designing for impact. In a modern, permeable organisation, it’s not about where talent sits, but how it contributes.
Are You Designing for the Future?
While some companies are making progress, many lag. To assess readiness, ask:
Are your systems agile?
Can work be done flexibly, with external partners?
Do your structures allow customization and personalization?
Are your policies built on trust?
For a more in-depth insight into the future of work and the evolving role of leadership, explore Rishad Tobaccowala’s books:
Rethinking Work offers a concise, forward-looking guide to redesigning organizations around agility, trust, and talent in a fluid work environment.
Restoring the Soul of Business provides a deeper exploration of how leaders can balance data with empathy to build more human, purpose-driven companies.