AI in the Workplace: Why Your Team Needs Guidelines Now

Ai

TL;DR: AI is changing the way we work and reshaping the landscape around us. Now more than ever, organizations need thoughtful, values-led internal AI policies. With the right training and guardrails, AI becomes a trusted teammate, not a liability. Our AI Manifesto lays out how to align innovation with integrity, and this post breaks down how to bring that alignment into your day-to-day operations.


AI is not something to plan for someday. It’s already reshaping how teams ideate, produce, and evaluate information with both promising opportunities and real challenges.

The problem is that many organizations are using AI without clear policies or a defined purpose. This creates risk across the board, from data security and brand reputation to internal trust and alignment.

For mission-driven companies, creating an internal AI policy is now a must. It ensures that innovation supports your values, instead of drifting away from them.

Moving quickly is simple, but progress comes from moving with purpose. Lasting growth happens when each step is intentional.

Why Your Organization Needs an AI Policy 

Generative AI is changing how teams collaborate, communicate, and create. Expectations are shifting. Timelines are speeding up. And without shared guidance on what is allowed and what aligns with your mission, things can get messy.

Without a policy, teams face:

  • Inconsistent quality and output

  • Unintentional misuse of client or internal data

  • Ethical and legal gray areas

  • Team confusion or burnout from unclear expectations

Values-driven organizations should carry a responsibility to approach this with care and accountability. A smart AI policy helps your team work faster and smarter, without compromising what matters most.

Building on Avenue’s AI Manifesto

We knew we wanted to use AI in our work. But we also knew we had to do it in a way that reflected our values as a B Corp.

That’s why we created our AI Manifesto. It lays out the principles we use to guide our internal decisions around AI. It’s our commitment to using AI in a way that centers people, protects the planet, and prioritizes purpose.

Some key commitments from the Manifesto include:

  • Using AI to amplify creativity, not replace it

  • Acknowledging the environmental footprint of digital tools

  • Never feeding client data into public AI models

  • Staying transparent about where AI is used and why

  • Keeping human oversight front and center

With our Manifesto as the foundation, we developed internal usage guidelines that reflect our B Corp commitments and create clarity across our team. If you're thinking about where to begin, anchoring your AI approach in your values is the best place to start.

What to Include in Your AI Policy

Your internal AI policy should be clear, practical, and easy to reference. It should help your team understand how AI can support their work and where it shouldn't be used.

Start with these components:

  • Privacy and Security: Client data and proprietary information should never be entered into public AI tools. 

  • Originality and Attribution: AI tools can support idea generation, but not final execution. Final deliverables should be human-authored, checked for accuracy, and adjusted for brand alignment.

  • Approved Use Cases: Define what’s okay: drafting meeting notes, organizing schedules, creating first-pass summaries of reports. Define what’s not: making hiring decisions, handling sensitive communications, producing final deliverables without human review.

  • Review and Accountability: Make it clear who reviews AI-generated content, where edits are required, and how work is documented.

  • Environmental Awareness: If your organization is committed to sustainability, acknowledge the energy use of AI platforms. Encourage thoughtful usage and evaluate tools based on their environmental commitments.

Train Your Team to Prompt Like Pros

Tools alone don’t lead to great output. Clear prompts do. Prompt training is one of the most overlooked parts of AI adoption, and it’s a low-lift way to improve quality and consistency across your team.

Clearer prompts can also reduce the need for repeated queries or back-and-forth clarification. That means fewer prompts, faster outputs, and less overall resource use.

Here are a few tips to share internally:

Be specific
Tell the tool what you want. Instead of saying “write a caption,” try “write a 150-word Instagram caption in a witty but professional tone about our sustainability efforts.”

Add context
Include background info, tone preferences, and brand voice guidance. AI tools need direction to deliver relevant output.

Treat output as a first draft
Encourage editing and customization. AI can help kickstart ideas, but the final version should be shaped by people who understand your audience and your mission.

We built a shared prompt library, hosted internal training sessions, and added AI guidance into our onboarding process. These steps helped our team move from experimenting with AI to using it more intentionally.

Aligning With B Corp Values

As a B Corp, we hold ourselves accountable to our team, our community, and the planet. The way we use AI reflects that.

Our internal policies center:

  • Transparency: We’re open about how and when AI is used

  • Equity: AI supports the team but never replaces them

  • Sustainability: We stay mindful of the digital footprint our tools create

  • Ethical Use: We train staff to spot bias and misinformation in outputs

Your AI policy should be a reflection of your mission. With the right structure, you don’t have to sacrifice innovation to stay true to your values. You can do both.

Use AI With Intention

An AI policy is more than a checklist. It sets the tone for how your team balances innovation with integrity.

AI can support growth and creativity, but it needs structure to protect human judgment, original thinking, and your core values. Clear, thoughtful guidelines help your team use AI with purpose, not just efficiency.

Start with your values. Build a simple framework. Train your team. Then adjust as you grow.

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