Artificial Intelligence, or AI, is everywhere, and the rise of technology like this looks set to continue.
What does AI mean for you as an employer? Should you use AI at work, or allow your employees to use it? What are the risks and benefits?
We’ll cover these questions by looking at creating and implementing a cohesive, clear, and effective AI policy in the workplace.
Which organisations need an AI policy?
AI is no longer exclusively for tech and IT businesses. It has taken off across every industry you can think of. Therefore, organisations of any size and in any industry can benefit from having an AI policy.
Even if you are not currently using AI in your business, it is likely that you will do so in the future. Proactively creating a policy can set expectations before any problems arise.
How to create an AI workplace policy
Understand your ethical and legal obligations
At the time of writing, there are no UK laws that specifically govern the use of AI in the workplace. However, this may change as lawmakers consider the implications and risks of AI and enact legislation to guard against those risks. Keeping on top of the legal status of AI, both in general and in your field, is essential.
Though there are no specific laws relating to AI at work, the use of AI may be covered by several other areas of legislation including equalities law, privacy, and data protection. If you have workplace policies in these areas, you may need to refer to and cross-reference them in your AI policy. This parliamentary briefing contains more information about the ways these laws may impact use of AI for employers. If you are in any doubt, always consult a legal professional for advice.
In addition, if there are any professional governing bodies associated with your industry, check their policy on AI and ensure you are complying with any rules and regulations.
Consider how or if you will use AI in hiring
Just as many people are now using AI to apply for work, companies are increasingly using AI as part of the recruitment process to review CVs, screen candidates, and create scoring systems. Used correctly, these tools can save time and help lead to better hiring. However, they can also lack nuance, causing companies to miss out on great candidates. In some cases, they may even end up exacerbating or recreating the explicit or unconscious biases that often impact the recruitment process.
Consider carefully how or if you will use AI in hiring, and include this in your policy. What tools will you use, what is the justification for using them, and what tools and safeguards are in place to ensure that all candidates are being given a fair and equal chance?
Transparency is key here. Your current and future employees deserve to understand how hiring decisions will be made and how the human touch will be balanced with the convenience of technology.
Which AI tools are employees allowed to use, and how?
AI tools, from customer service chatbots to generative tools that create text or images on demand, can save employees time and free them up to do those tasks that require a human touch. However, uncritically using AI to complete job tasks can cause more problems than it solves.
Your policy should be clear and specific about which tools employees are permitted to use and in what circumstances. Are only particular, company-approved AI programmes allowed? Which tasks can and cannot be outsourced to AI? Are open-source AI tools such as ChatGPT permitted and if so, under what circumstances? Ideally, give examples of acceptable and unacceptable AI use cases. Remember to specify if any particular tools, or types of tools, are banned entirely.
Include guidance for disclosure around AI usage, too. Many employees (and students) have been caught out trying to pass off AI-generated work as their own original content. Emphasise to your employees that AI is a tool to help them, not to do their work for them. Setting these expectations early on can prevent avoidable problems later.
How will quality control be managed?
One of the issues with generative AI, in particular, is that the content it puts out is highly variable in quality. From AI-generated images giving people an extra arm or leg to chatbot tools confidently giving out incorrect information as fact, AI cannot be relied upon to always get it right.
Therefore, it is essential that you include quality control in your AI policy. All AI-generated work should be checked and, if necessary, edited by a human employee before it is used. AI tools such as customer service chatbots and business process automations should be checked regularly to ensure they are functioning as expected.
Performing regular quality controls and audits on your AI tools and their output can save you major problems in the long run.
What are the consequences of violating the policy?
As with any workplace policy, it is essential that your employees understand the consequences of violating your AI policy. Ensure the policy spells out what will happen in the event of breaches, and that it is in line with your overall organisational performance and conduct policies as well as relevant employment law.
Your process for handling violations of your AI policy might include steps such as informal, formal, and written warnings, performance improvement plans, additional supervision or oversight, formal disciplinary procedures, demotion, or dismissal.
Consult with your employees and maintain open communication
As you develop, refine, and implement your AI policy, involve your employees at every step to understand their needs and concerns. You might consider creating a working group of employees who can represent the needs of their teams, providing consultation and feedback to senior management and flagging up any issues with the policy. A Youth Voice Panel can also help you to understand the specific ways your younger and entry-level employees relate to AI at work and the concerns they may have.
Keep your employees in the loop throughout, and notify them promptly about any changes that will impact them. Keep lines of communication open, and adopt an open-door policy so that employees can come to you at any time with their concerns.
Once it is implemented, your AI policy should form a part of your onboarding process for new employees as well as annual training for all employees.
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