In the eyes of many leaders, artificial intelligence and cognitive technologies are the most disruptive forces on the horizon. But most organizations don't have a strategy to address them. This article is part of an MIT SMR initiative exploring how technology is reshaping the practice of management. Artificial intelligence (AI) and cognitive technologies are burgeoning, but few companies are yet getting value from their investments. The reason, in our view, is that many of the projects companies undertake aren't targeted at important business problems or opportunities. Some projects are simply too ambitious -- the technology isn't ready, or the organizational change required is too great. In short, most organizations don't have a strategy for cognitive technologies.

If you've been following technology news, then you know that robots and AI are here to stay. They route you home, book your hotel, and even vacuum your carpet while you are away. The smart machines, apps, and algorithms that manage our lives are only getting more pervasive, more intelligent, and more powerful. By 2019, more than 1.4 million new industrial robots will be installed in factories around the world, according to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR). And, yes, they're getting down to work.

As advances in technology, like AI and robotics, disrupt industries and redefine value chains, organisations need to distinguish themselves from others in order to prevail. Thriving organisations – those that transform their work environment into a compelling experience – will be first in building the workforce for the future. Yet, only half (52 percent) of organisations worldwide have committed to help employees thrive at work. Mercer's newest research, Thriving in an Age of Disruption, provides a blueprint on how to build a thriving organisation in this era of disruption. "As digitisation and disruption shape the next decade of work, companies that develop people strategies around these areas now will lead the way later," said Kate Bravery, Global Practices Leader for Mercer's Career business.

Imagine a world in which the human resources function as we know it vanishes and is replaced by automation, outsourcing, and self-organizing teams. Or a world in which top talent is fought over so fiercely that the most adept tech workers hire agents to negotiate and manage their careers. It may sound like science fiction. But the world of work is changing so fast that either scenario could become reality. Megatrends such as digitization, the rise of automation, and shifting demographics are disrupting the way we work, and the way companies relate to workers.