"AI is here. We need to reinvent ourselves." - Josh Newman, Global Head of People Strategy and Experience, WPP
What does it really mean to redesign work for an AI-powered enterprise? That question took center stage during a recent webinar. Siobhan Savage (CEO and Founder of Reejig), Josh Bersin (CEO and Co-Founder of The Josh Bersin Company), and Josh Newman (Global Head of People Strategy and Experience, WPP) joined forces.
Together, they unpacked a bold new approach to workforce transformation. One that goes far beyond headcount or systems. One that tackles the very DNA of work.
For WPP, one of the world's largest marketing services organizations, this was not theoretical. It was a pressing challenge driven by a real boardroom question:
In that moment, the need for work reinvention became clear.
With over 50,000 unique job titles and a highly decentralized structure, WPP had a workforce filled with talent. But it lacked visibility into the actual work being done.
Job titles alone could not answer critical questions:
To reinvent work in an AI-powered world, WPP needed to go deeper. It set out to deconstruct work itself. Not just at the job level. At the level of tasks and skills.
Every enterprise is deploying AI. Almost none can see the work they're deploying it into.
This journey began with massive simplification. WPP reduced 55,000 job titles to 600 role archetypes. But that was just the start.
Together with Reejig, WPP broke down those roles to map:
This level of detail revealed where time and talent were underutilized. It showed where AI could recover 20 to 25% capacity in key roles.
This was not just about job design. It was infrastructure for reinvention. It turned static job architectures into living Work Architecture.
With this intelligence in hand, WPP could redesign work dynamically. It created a powerful ecosystem where human and digital workers augment each other.
This meant identifying:
Reejig's Work Intelligence combined WPP's internal data with their AI system, WPP Open. Together they uncovered real, actionable transformation opportunities.
This is the Agent + Human Operating Model in practice. The Work Operating System orchestrates how humans and agents work together.
Importantly, this was not about cost-cutting or reducing headcount. It was about freeing people to do more of the work they love. And less of what they do not.
"This isn't about cost-cutting," said Newman. "It's about freeing people up to do more of what they came here to do."
In this new model, work is redesigned to be:
That is not just a productivity play. It is a talent magnet.
WPP did not just build new job descriptions. They built a living system. One that evolves as AI matures. As business needs shift. As new skills emerge.
With Reejig, they are now:
WPP's journey shows you do not need to wait for disruption. You lead transformation proactively. By making work visible, flexible, and ready for what comes next.
As Bersin put it:
Redesigning work is the new competitive advantage.
Book a demo to see how the Work Operating System deconstructs work into tasks and skills. Spot duplication, opportunity, and AI fit. Build a living workforce ecosystem.