Organisation design for the digital age

Reimagining organisation design – together

Business isn’t what it used to be – and your operating model can’t be either. With artificial intelligence (AI) agents entering the workforce and customer expectations evolving by the day, it’s time to rethink how teams are structured and how work gets done.

That means more than tweaking around the edges. It means reshaping how you create, deliver and capture value. And doing it in a way that’s fast, sustainable and built on real insights.

At PwC Australia, we see business model reinvention as essential – not optional. The pace of change, the pressure on margins, and the power of emerging tech demand a bold response.

Working with Orgvue, we’re helping organisations step into that future. Together, we bring human insight and smart tech to design operating models that are fit for what’s next – models that link strategy to structure, unlock productivity, accelerate decision-making and uncover new opportunities for investment to drive growth.

In this report, we demonstrate how our know-how comes together with Orgvue’s powerful platform to help you see your organisation in a new light. By taking a digital-first approach to operating model design, you’ll be better equipped to tackle challenges and uncover opportunities.

No matter your role or industry – whether you’re in mining, retail or banking – this change affects you. If you’re ready to take a fresh look at your organisation, we’re ready to help you move forward – with clarity and confidence.

Peter Kurtz, Partner, Advisory, PwC Australia

PwC and Orgvue: A new way to design

PwC and Orgvue have a long-standing relationship. Together, we’ve delivered over 50 projects in Australia and more than 80 globally – each one focused on helping clients reimagine how their organisations work.

We use Orgvue to move beyond conventional organisation design – shifting from static, analogue processes to a digital-first approach underpinned by our Business Model Reinvention methodology. That means faster analysis, clearer insights and the ability to model future scenarios in real time – so you can make confident decisions, faster.

It all starts with understanding your business environment – what’s shifting, what your customers need and where change is already underway. From there, we look at the triggers likely to drive innovation, how your workforce can flex to meet those demands and where industry collaboration can help.

By working as part of a wider ecosystem – collaborating with others – organisations can unlock value that wouldn’t be possible on their own. PwC research shows that leading businesses are 1.6 times more likely to benefit from these kinds of ecosystems, gaining access to new markets, richer data and complementary capabilities.

Let’s explore three key benefits of taking a digital-first approach over a traditional analogue one:

1. Automation and advanced analysis improve efficiency.
With tools like Orgvue, data consolidation and cleansing happen in moments – not months. That means more time spent analysing, less time cleaning. PwC teams can model structures and deliver insights faster, often seeing more than fivefold improvements in project efficiency. It’s not just quicker – it’s more accurate, too.

2. Experimentation and rapid iteration enhance decision making.
Digital design allows for experimentation in real time. As clients explore different options and test their ideas, they see the impact instantly. This transparency builds trust, aligns stakeholders and helps leaders make more informed decisions – whether its weighing or prioritising initiatives – resulting in clearer, more confident decisions.

3. Connected and collaborative analysis improve transparency.
When you can trace every data point, see every change, and model every scenario from multiple angles, you reduce guesswork and surface insights that would otherwise stay hidden. A connected, collaborative view of your organisation means better organisational change planning, better outcomes – and fewer surprises.

The takeaway? Disruption isn’t the problem. It’s how you respond that matters. Restructuring and cost-cutting might still be part of the picture, but they’re not enough. Reinvention demands more. It means challenging the assumptions that got you here – and designing an organisation that’s ready for whatever comes next.

A proven approach

We help you optimise, innovate and transform your organisation so that it’s fit for what’s next. Together, we follow a proven approach:

Strategic alignment – We start by aligning on your goals and the capabilities your new operating model needs to support.

Workforce baselining – We use data and technology to map your workforce across cost, activity, structure and capability.

Data insights – We test and validate opportunities for workforce optimisation, to prioritise and gain executive buy-in for necessary change and transformation opportunities.

Organisation re-design – We use scenario modelling to explore future-state designs and assess their impact on cost, work and people.

Separability analysis – We model the financial and employee impact of shifting activities across internal teams or external providers.

AI and automation impact analysis – We combine Orgvue with process modelling and intelligence tools to understand how automation and AI agents fit into your structures and reshape roles across your workforce to enable the necessary restructuring of roles.

Implementation and sustainment – We implement the future-state designs, support change management and benefits realisation, and drive a culture of continuous improvement.

This approach helps you move faster, with greater clarity and less risk.

Benefits of a digital approach: in detail

In this section, we explore the real-world impact of working digitally. For each benefit, we’ve included practical use cases and case study examples that show how this approach plays out in practice.

Using Orgvue, PwC teams can streamline project delivery, cut down operational effort and bring forward the insights that matter most.

What once took weeks can now be done in days – or even hours. And with real-time dashboards and dynamic visualisations, data storytelling becomes faster, clearer and more effective. Data is also easily exportable to PowerPoint or Excel.

Here’s how Orgvue delivers these efficiencies:

Data consolidation and cleansing – Orgvue pulls together data, such as Finance, HR and activity data, from multiple sources in a seamless, structured way. Updates are instant, removing the need to rework spreadsheets and ensuring consistency across formats and languages.
Speed to insight – Advanced visualisations and analytics allow us to test design hypotheses quickly and surface actionable insights, speeding up decision-making at every step.
Dynamic real-time scenario modelling – Drag-and-drop modelling means we can build and compare future-state designs on the spot. It’s a faster, more transparent way to understand impact and get to the right structure, without the limits of static tools like spreadsheets.

When decisions need to be made quickly – and with confidence – clarity is everything. Orgvue helps deliver that clarity by turning complex data into actionable insight, fast. Its advanced data management and visualisation capabilities give PwC teams and clients a shared view of what’s possible, what’s at stake, and where to go next.

This makes our delivery model more collaborative and productive, enhancing the client experience. Clients can see scenarios and options unfold in real time. Fewer meetings are needed to reach alignment. And better decisions are made, sooner.

Here’s how Orgvue drives smarter decision-making:

Improved data confidence – Orgvue quickly integrates and cleanses data from multiple sources, giving clients a high level of trust in the insights being presented. Anomalies are easy to catch and correct, and updates flow through automatically keeping the analysis live and accurate.
Fast testing and iteration – Clients can explore options and test ideas in the moment. Dynamic workshops powered by Orgvue create a richer consulting experience and speed up the path from insight to action.
Real-time insights – Interactive modelling and instant feedback keep conversations focused and flowing. Leaders can see the current state, test the future state and make better strategic decisions – in moments.

Transparency is designed in. A digital-first approach means we can confidently test hypotheses and uncover new insights into proposed organisational changes. By enabling more granular analysis, maintaining a full audit trail, removing error-prone reconciliation tasks and providing real-time reporting, Orgvue increases project transparency.

Business leaders can see the full picture and align around informed change plans.

Here’s how Orgvue helps de-risk outcomes and drive clarity:

Data-driven scenario modelling – Model multiple versions of the future without changing the underlying data. Clear, consistent visuals make it easy to compare trade-offs across roles, functions and locations.
Fewer manual errors – It simplifies data cleaning with intuitive drag-and-drop tools, reducing the risk of errors and improving confidence in the insights.
Dynamic, connected analysis – Integrated views across people, processes and spend help reveal how one decision affects the rest of the business, supporting smarter transformation planning.
Holistic workforce view – Orgvue captures the full workforce picture – including contractors, part-time staff and permanent roles – so clients can make informed decisions that reflect their true capacity and capability.

Case study: A global restaurant chain gains clarity, speed and alignment

Use case: Operating model current-state analysis and global strategic review across 12 markets

This multinational restaurant chain needed a clearer view of its workforce – but had no central HR system to draw on. Each market used different platforms, making it hard to get an accurate current-state picture or make confident strategic decisions.

PwC used Orgvue to bring structure to the complexity – consolidating workforce, payroll and activity data across seven functions and 700 roles in 12 markets. A multi-phase approach was used: first baselining the data, then collecting activity insights, followed by designing future-state process and structural recommendations.

With a 95% response rate across four languages, the activity analysis was completed in just two weeks. Using Orgvue, the team modelled process redesign scenarios in real time –allowing the client to clearly see cost-saving options and efficiency gains.

We delivered a successful global review, backed by a single source of truth. Manual errors were reduced, project delivery was faster, outputs were consistent and executive buy-in increased.

“Thanks to Orgvue, our team was able to uncover valuable insights in just a few hours – something that would have taken weeks if we had relied on manual methods. Plus, manual processes would likely have required an extra person to handle the data, leading to a slower and more error-prone experience.”

Paul Barrett, Director, PwC Australia

Case study: Restructuring for growth in the tech and media sector

Use case: Operating model restructure and reinvestment

This technology and media conglomerate needed to pivot from a function-led to a customer-led operating model, impacting nearly every role across its 6,000-person workforce. As part of a three-year strategic reset, the company had to identify critical capabilities required to deliver on their growth strategy and realign the workforce in support of this.

PwC used Orgvue to bring structure and speed to the transformation. Finance, HR and activity data were analysed to create a clear baseline for identifying, sizing and prioritising workforce changes.

Orgvue’s collaborative platform enabled rapid experimentation – modelling different organisation design options in real time to weigh trade-offs, visualise impacts and build executive alignment. The insights extended beyond structure, helping reshape ways of working across the business.

In under five months, we helped the client design, plan and begin implementing a full enterprise-wide operating model transformation. Orgvue helped clarify which organisational capabilities were essential to future growth, and where productivity could be boosted through automation, AI and service model improvements. The platform significantly accelerated delivery, reducing analysis time and speeding up insight generation during a high-pressure window.

“With Orgvue in our toolkit for operating model design, we took a human-centered approach powered by smart technology. Its powerful automation and visualisation features allowed our team to focus on telling compelling stories with the data, leading to thoughtful, data-backed conversations with the client. Through rapid testing and scenario analysis, we were able to show them the options efficiently and creatively.”

Kieran O’Neill, Senior Manager, PwC Australia

Case study: Reworking the back office to serve bank customers better

Use case: Operating model review and optimisation of back-office functions

With rising service costs and the need to improve the customer experience, this retail bank needed to rethink how its back-office functions operated. But without a connected view of its workforce and processes, the bank faced blind spots that made transformation risky.

PwC used Orgvue to bring together workforce and activity data across key functions –conducting an end-to-end activity analysis that underpinned the business case for a global business service centre. This connected data view helped the team identify previously hidden risks and uncover new opportunities, including potential savings from optimising the organisation’s geographical footprint.

Orgvue’s speed and flexibility allowed us to run dynamic client workshops, validate data in real time, and accelerate alignment across stakeholders. That meant fewer delays, richer conversations and a faster path to action.

With Orgvue, we created a smooth, data-driven client experience. The platform enhanced data integrity, made scenario modelling faster, and helped the client build confidence in the changes ahead. We paved the way for a leaner, more flexible cost structure and stronger customer outcomes.

“Being able to make decisions right there in the meeting kept our conversation flowing smoothly and on track. There was no need to pause or go back to things later, which really helped us stay productive. This approach let us tackle issues immediately, encouraging teamwork and adaptability as we worked towards our goals.”

Yann Dunlop, Director, PwC Australia

Case study: Building a smarter business services model in retail and hospitality

Use case: Operating model redesign and outsourcing scenario modelling

As part of its SAP transformation, this organisation needed a new operating model to match its technology roadmap. That meant reviewing its workforce, processes and structures – particularly across finance, merchandise and supply chain – to build a data-driven case for change.

PwC worked with the client to model scenarios around business services structures to understand the cost impact to processes, teams and individuals. Orgvue’s data-driven approach minimised implementation risks and reduced weeks of manual work to days.

Orgvue consolidated workforce data and enabled activity analysis across 500 finance roles, validated by survey responses. This helped us understand which specific activities each of these people were performing. Meanwhile, a more granular activity analysis was conducted with the merchandise function to show exactly where time and effort were being spent.

This rich level of detail allowed us to model trade-offs in real time and quantify the impact of outsourcing vs centralising specific tasks associated with the new SAP transformation journey.

We validated over 35% cost savings by moving to a business services model. The client gained the confidence to move forward, backed by data and real-time insights enabling them to clearly communicate the case for change to the business.

“Orgvue has proven its worth time and again. We’ve seen noticeably better results on projects. Because of this, more and more colleagues are excited to use the platform for their own projects to boost their results.”

Sarah Stewart, Partner, PwC Australia

Case study: Right-sizing back-office functions with confidence in construction

Use case: Centralised back-office operations across HR, Finance and Procurement

This construction and development multinational needed to centralise functional services across HR, finance and procurement into a global business services (GBS) model to drive productivity and improve efficiency. They engaged PwC to validate and refine the proposed design and workforce model.

PwC used Orgvue to assess the size, structure and cost of the current back office. We modelled how each process was to be delivered in accordance with the new GBS operating model to right-size the GBS and retained teams looking at optimal spans and layers as well as capabilities and seniority requirements that needed to drive improvements to efficiency and productivity.

Using activity analysis in Orgvue, we helped the client revise and refine its business case and workforce model. The final approved design impacted a significant number of role positions and resulted in a 16% reduction in positions impacted. This outcome was made possible by Orgvue’s ability to connect disparate data sources, giving PwC and the client the insights needed to make more informed, holistic decisions.

“We were able to challenge and improve on the organisation design for both GBS and the retained teams by understanding the end to end process and overlaying the organisation impacts, assessing the different capabilities each team was going to require to make this change successful and sustainable. This not only helped our client avoid the expensive and disruptive process of firing and rehiring but also boosted their confidence in managing their team effectively.”

Anna Wojt, Partner, PwC Australia

Future-fit organisation design – positioning you for what’s next

AI agents are entering the workforce. Customer expectations are changing fast. Together, these shifts are redefining how businesses operate – and making it clear that old ways of working won’t keep up. To stay ahead, organisations need to rethink how work is structured, how decisions are made, and how value is delivered. Traditional tools like PowerPoint and Visio weren’t built for this complexity. They can’t model hybrid human-machine roles or support real-time collaboration across functions.

That’s where Orgvue comes in. By combining robust data analysis with powerful scenario modelling, we can explore the financial and workforce impact of different designs – in real time, with clients in the room. It’s not just faster. It’s smarter, more transparent and built for today’s operating model challenges.

We’ve demonstrated how a digital-first approach enables better decisions, clearer insights and faster outcomes. From accelerating activity analysis to delivering efficiency gains, from validating workforce strategies in weeks – not months – to uncovering considerable savings, the proof is clear.

The call to action is equally clear: organisations must rethink how they create, deliver and capture value. Reinvention isn’t optional. With Orgvue and PwC, you’re equipped to meet that challenge – bringing together industry insight, real-time data and digital design to build an organisation that’s ready for what’s next.