In a compelling discussion, renowned human resources researcher, industry analyst, and consultant Josh Bersin sheds light on the outdated and often detrimental impact of a job-centric model of management, advocating instead for an approach that liberates human potential and fosters organizational agility. Drawing on close to thirty years of experience in the field, which includes authoring books such as "Irresistible, The Seven Secrets of the World's Most Enduring, Employee-Focused Organizations," Bersin meticulously dissects how traditional job structures can actively limit both individual and company growth. Bersin contends that the very notion of a "job" as a fixed entity is a relic of the industrial age, a time when humans were seen as replaceable components within a predefined structure. He highlights that this dated perspective, where the job remains constant and individuals are swapped in and out, formed the basis of countless management books from the 1960s to the 1980s. However, Bersin's extensive research and work with companies reveal a critical truth: every human being inherently makes a job different. Even in highly repeatable roles, like serving hamburgers, an individual's unique style, communication, and presentation personalize the work, making it distinct. Moving away from the rigid "box" around a job, Bersin asserts, directly correlates with higher-performing companies.
The historical roots of this job architecture can be traced back to early industrial companies, influenced by figures like Frederick Taylor. In this model, management dictated the tasks, and labor executed them, with industrial engineers optimizing production by breaking down processes into parts and specializing individuals in each. This framework, however, persists pervasively today within every company's HR practice, pay structures, and recruiting processes. Jobs are still defined by titles, levels, pay bands, required capabilities, certifications, educational credentials, and specific responsibilities. Bersin stresses that this ingrained job-centric architecture is a significant source of numerous problems.
One of the most immediate and detrimental consequences of this model is the prevalence of the "that's not my job" mentality, which stifles initiative and collaboration within organizations. Furthermore, it creates significant hurdles for fair compensation. A highly capable young employee might be undervalued and underpaid simply because they occupy a lower hierarchical position than a director, even if their contribution adds more value. The rigid structure also impedes crucial organizational fluidity, making it difficult to move people between departments or businesses, particularly when some areas are shrinking and others are growing. Employees often resist such moves, fearing they aren't qualified or demanding a promotion, leading to fear, uncertainty, and reward systems that foster "brittle fragility" within a company. Bersin acknowledges that this deeply embedded structure is reflected across the entire HR ecosystem, from software and pay models to career progression models and 9-box grids. While job titles and levels may never entirely disappear, Bersin argues that companies must learn to operate beyond these definitions to truly thrive.
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To counteract these limitations and cultivate more agile organizations, Bersin champions a shift towards reinforcing "work, not jobs". The most potent and straightforward way to achieve this is by encouraging employees to engage in varied activities. This includes assigning developmental tasks, special projects, offering rotations, and, crucially, asking individuals about their interests outside their current responsibilities and empowering them to pursue those interests. This approach ensures employees are not confined to repetitive tasks, leading to a renewed sense of energy and learning. The more this practice is adopted, the faster an organization develops agility. Bersin illustrates this principle with an example from his own company, a team of nearly fifty people where "everybody does everything". Employees engage in diverse tasks, from interacting with customers and conducting research to collaborating on conference planning. This deliberate strategy fosters rich, rewarding, and developmental careers by embedding the "DNA" of encouraging individuals to work beyond their primary responsibilities. Bersin emphasizes that continuous learning is fundamental to human nature; when work becomes stagnant and devoid of new learning, individuals experience a sense of stasis, feeling unfulfilled and without direction.
This situation is detrimental to both the individual and the company. Therefore, companies must devise methods to reward growth without making it contingent on promotion. Bersin recounts personal career experiences where he encountered arbitrary waiting periods for advancement, such as being told he needed to wait "at least two years" for a promotion because "that's the way we do it around here". His own successful and fulfilling career, he shares, was always founded on personal and professional growth, even if it meant moving to different companies to achieve the development he sought. After twenty-five to thirty years immersed in the field of HR, Bersin's most profound learning is a "massive respect for the culture and organizational dynamics of high-performing companies". He offers a pivotal insight for leaders, individuals, and HR professionals: those who can think systemically about people issues – recognizing that at its core, "every business problem is... a people problem" – will consistently be high performers. This powerful understanding, he concludes, is the secret he wishes to impart, urging a fundamental rethinking of how organizations define and engage with work and their most valuable asset: their people.
