This article was originally published in edition 50 of the Business First Magazine by LawNet.
AI tools are becoming part of everyday working life, but giving employees access to the technology is only the first step. The real challenge is making sure staff know how to use it well.
For SMEs, there is unlikely to be the budget or need for extensive technical training. What matters is giving employees the practical skills to use AI effectively, question what it produces and understand where the risks lie.
So, what should businesses focus on?
1. Teach people how to ask better questions
The quality of an AI-generated response often depends heavily on the instructions it receives.
Staff do not need to become prompt engineers, but they should understand how to give clear context, explain the task, specify the intended audience and set out what a useful response should contain.
Asking an AI tool to “write an email” may produce a generic result. Explaining who it is for, its purpose, the key information to include and the required tone gives the tool far more to work with.
Practical training based on genuine workplace tasks can therefore be more valuable than lengthy theoretical courses.
2. Make verification a habit
One of the most important AI skills is knowing when not to trust the answer.
AI-generated content can sound convincing while still containing inaccurate, incomplete or fabricated information. Employees should understand that an authoritative tone is not evidence of accuracy.
Outputs involving facts, figures, legal requirements or other important decisions should be checked against reliable sources before they are used.
Businesses should encourage staff to view AI as an assistant rather than a substitute for their own judgement.
3. Understand what information should not be shared
Convenience can create risk if employees paste sensitive information into an AI platform without considering where that data is going.
Staff need clear guidance on what they can and cannot enter into AI tools. This may include personal data, commercially sensitive information, confidential client or customer details and intellectual property.
Training and policy need to work together. Employees cannot be expected to use AI safely if the boundaries are unclear.
4. Create a thought-through AI policy
Simply banning AI is unlikely to be sustainable, particularly as the technology becomes increasingly embedded within everyday software.
A more practical approach is to set clear expectations around acceptable use.
An AI policy should explain which tools employees may use, what information can be entered, when outputs need checking and where human approval remains essential. It should also make clear who staff can approach when they are unsure.
The policy should reflect how the business actually operates rather than becoming a generic document that is written once and forgotten.
5. Keep training practical and affordable
Closing the skills gap does not necessarily require a major training budget.
Short workshops, team demonstrations, internal guidance and shared examples of successful prompts can all help employees build confidence. Businesses can also encourage staff who are already comfortable using AI to share useful techniques with colleagues.
Training should be relevant to individual roles. Someone using AI to draft marketing content will have different needs from somebody analysing data or handling customer information.
AI skills will continue to evolve alongside the technology. The best approach is therefore regular learning supported by clear rules, good judgement and a willingness to review how AI is being used.
Businesses that get those foundations right will be better placed to benefit from AI without allowing enthusiasm for the technology to outrun the skills needed to use it responsibly.
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About the author
Karen Cole is a Partner and Head of the Employment team at RIAA Barker Gillette. She has a range of expertise based on her employment law, dispute resolution and litigation background. Karen provides employment law advice to businesses and individuals, whether contentious or not. She is a member of the Employment Lawyers Association and the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers.