Reinventing Work Chair shares five years of insights
The Reinventing Work Chair was established to decode today’s rapidly evolving workplace and anticipate the shifts ahead. The Chair’s newly released brochure shares five years of insights on how organisations can adapt to the future of work.
From remote work to AI integration, how—and where—we work has changed dramatically. As these shifts accelerate, organisations must rethink how they lead, connect, and support people in a hybrid, tech-driven world. What new models of leadership and skills will define success in the future of work?
These are some of the themes explored by the Reinventing Work Chair, a collaboration between ESCP Business School, BNP Paribas, and BivwAk!—BNP Paribas’ transformation hub. Launched in 2019, the Chair set out to improve our understanding of how the transformation of work as a whole leads to organisational change.
Charting the Future of Work
When the Chair launched, few could have predicted the seismic workplace shifts that lay ahead. Just months later, the COVID-19 pandemic upended traditional work models—creating a unique opportunity to study rapid workplace transformation in real time.
“Over the past five years, we’ve been asking the hard questions—the ones that challenge long-held assumptions about work,” says Professor Emmanuelle Léon, Scientific Director of the Reinventing Work Chair and Associate Professor of Work & Human Relations at ESCP Paris Campus.
The Chair’s newly released brochure captures and distills those five years of research, spanning 17 projects led by 31 international professors and researchers and involving more than 18,000 participants across sectors and countries. These studies have already inspired internal reflection around BNP Paribas’ HR strategy, influenced management practices, and supported the development of a training programme for 700 senior managers.
Over the past five years, we’ve been asking the hard questions—the ones that challenge long-held assumptions about work.
Emmanuelle LeonScientific Director of the Reinventing Work Chair and Associate Professor of Work & Human Relations
ESCP Paris Campus
Key Research Themes and Findings
Through its research, the Chair has identified three interconnected themes as essential pillars for organisational success in a rapidly changing world of work: flexibility at work, evolving roles and HR practices, and transformed engagement and leadership.
Flexibility at Work
Remote and hybrid models raise new questions about collaboration, cohesion, and productivity. Projects such as Reshaping the Work Experience and Virtual Teamworking and Well-being explore how flexibility affects performance and employee well-being—and what leaders must do to support both.
Key takeaways:
- Productivity is increasing as employees save commuting time—but many work longer hours to remain visible.
- Physical presence remains a signal of engagement, especially in countries with less employment protection.
- Informal networking, career progression, and mental well-being are harder to sustain in dispersed teams.
Evolving Roles and HR Practices
As organisations digitalise, roles and expectations shift. Studies like HR and Digitalisation and Onboarding in Hybrid Environments explore how to build trust, manage knowledge, and integrate new hires in dispersed teams. A central insight: digital transformation must be human-led, not just tech-driven.
Key takeaways:
- Remote work stigma limits collaboration and knowledge sharing.
- Hybrid policies are often misunderstood, leading to unequal access.
- Visibility strategies are essential to ensure fairness in performance and development.
Transformed Engagement and Leadership
With new technologies and more fluid team structures, leadership must evolve. Research into Cultural Intelligence in Hybrid Teams and Managing New Work Relationships highlights the importance of emotional intelligence, inclusion, and belonging.
Key takeaways:
- Fostering belonging is critical for freelance and contingent workers, who often straddle insider–outsider roles.
- Purposeful face-to-face interactions build trust and cohesion across distributed teams.
- A shift from control to trust-based leadership empowers teams to thrive in uncertainty.
What’s Next for the Reinventing Work Chair?
As the world of work continues to evolve, the Chair will deepen its focus on the human, managerial, and technological shifts shaping tomorrow’s organisations. Ongoing studies examine hybrid onboarding, knowledge sharing in distributed teams, and cultural intelligence and team leadership in hybrid work contexts.
The Chair will continue to share its insights through new events, workshops, and publications—translating research into practical strategies for managers, HR professionals, and senior leaders. By bridging academic insight with real-world challenges, the Chair will equip organisations not just to adapt—but to lead with purpose.
Stay up to date with the latest from the Reinventing Work Chair here.
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