Competing in the New World of Work

7 Build a Lego Block Workforce

Mariya Filipova hung up the phone, took off her signature bright-red eyeglasses, and sat down to consider what to do next. It was the beginning of the pandemic. Her boss had just asked her to reduce her department’s operating expenses and rethink her staffing model in a way that did not impact the service they provided to their customers. She was to report back with a process that could be replicated elsewhere in the company. In these early days of the pandemic, everyone was managing cash outlays carefully, and Mariya’s employer was no different. Because Mariya had a reputation for finding creative solutions, her team was tasked to take on this project and provide a playbook for the rest of the organization. ...