Mercer's Transformation Leader on Redesigning Work With AI

Summary

In this insightful discussion, Robin Just-Sun explores how AI is reshaping work, emphasizing that organizations must start with understanding existing workflows rather than focusing solely on technology. By deconstructing jobs, identifying tasks AI can substitute, augment, or transform, and involving employees early, companies can unlock significant productivity gains—sometimes freeing up 20–60% of labor capacity. The conversation highlights continuous workflow redesign as a core managerial skill, strategic AI deployment for measurable ROI, and the importance of integrating people, operations, and technology. Ultimately, AI is presented as a tool to enhance human potential, drive innovation, and improve both efficiency and employee well-being.

Takeaways

• 😀 AI adoption should be intentional, with a clear strategy rather than just giving out licenses to everyone.
• 😀 Organizations should focus on redesigning workflows around AI to maximize its effectiveness, not just democratizing access.
• 😀 The 'spray and pray' approach to GenAI has led to uneven results, with some employees using it effectively while others don’t.
• 😀 Organizations should start with targeted use cases (e.g., marketing, sales) where AI can show immediate ROI, then scale from there.
• 😀 AI implementation must be a joint effort between business leaders, tech experts, and HR to ensure successful integration.
• 😀 A clear ROI from AI adoption is possible if deployed with a thoughtful approach, with some companies seeing 20-60% gains.
• 😀 Technology investments should be more focused and aligned with specific business needs rather than a broad, all-encompassing strategy.
• 😀 AI's full potential is unlocked when jobs are redesigned to incorporate AI tools from the ground up, not as an afterthought.
• 😀 The role of AI leaders should involve more than just technology expertise—they should also understand people, processes, and business transformation.
• 😀 Redesigning work processes with AI requires understanding the existing work and where AI can either substitute, augment, or transform those tasks.
• 😀 The business case for AI adoption is strong if organizations properly plan, deploy, and scale AI in a way that aligns with their specific needs.

Q & A

What is the main issue organizations face when deploying generative AI (GenAI) across their teams?

The main issue is that many companies use a 'spray and pray' approach, where they broadly distribute GenAI tools without targeting specific use cases or providing adequate training. This results in inconsistent application, with some employees using the technology effectively while others, like Robin in the example, fail to make meaningful use of it.

How does the speaker suggest organizations should approach AI deployment?

The speaker advises focusing on specific workflows or business functions that show clear potential for ROI. Instead of giving everyone access to AI tools, organizations should target areas where AI can be most effective and redesign the work around those use cases.

Why is 'democratizing' AI access without adequate training considered ineffective?

Democratizing access without proper education leads to uneven adoption. Some employees may excel in using AI tools and boost their productivity, while others may not use the technology at all, resulting in wasted resources and underwhelming results for the organization.

What is meant by 'redesigning work' in the context of AI implementation?

Redesigning work means altering job roles and workflows to integrate AI capabilities into the processes. Instead of just giving employees AI tools and expecting them to figure out how to apply them, the organization should design jobs that leverage AI from the start, ensuring its impact is maximized.

What is the key challenge for leaders when it comes to managing AI transformation?

The key challenge is balancing the technological aspect of AI with the human side—understanding how AI can transform existing roles, workflows, and overall work culture. Leaders must also involve employees in the process to ensure effective adoption and redesign of work.

What does the speaker mean by the need for 'a group decision' in AI adoption?

The speaker believes that decisions about AI adoption should not be made solely by one department, such as IT or HR. Instead, a collaborative approach involving people from operations, leadership, and technology is essential to successfully integrate AI into the organization.

How should a company decide who should lead AI efforts within the organization?

The ideal leader should not just be a technologist, but someone who understands how work is done within the organization. This person would collaborate with technical experts to ensure AI is implemented in ways that transform work processes and improve overall productivity.

What is the speaker's opinion on having a 'head of GenAI' or similar positions within organizations?

The speaker believes that having a 'head of GenAI' may not be the best approach. Instead, there should be a focus on creating roles like 'head of reinvented work'—a leader who focuses on the organizational changes AI will drive, with technical experts reporting into that role.

What is the difference between providing AI tools to all employees versus targeting specific workflows?

Providing AI tools to all employees can result in uneven adoption and productivity gains. In contrast, targeting specific workflows focuses resources on areas that show clear potential for improvement, ensuring a more impactful and measurable ROI from AI deployment.

Why is understanding the work being done in an organization critical for successful AI adoption?

Understanding the work being done allows leaders to identify where AI can augment, substitute, or transform existing tasks. This targeted approach ensures that AI is applied to areas where it can make the most difference, leading to higher productivity and efficiency gains.