Employees Aren’t Retaining AI Policies During Onboarding

Of the employees that received an AI policy during onboarding, over 1 in 10 reported retaining little to none of the information it provided, according to a new study.

Information retained at onboarding varies across hybrid, fully on-site, and fully remote employees. Hybrid employees reported the lowest amount of retention overall.

While AI has the potential to accelerate growth for businesses, companies are putting themselves at an increased security risk when they forgo a clear and accurate AI policy at onboarding. Similarly, employees repeatedly not retaining the policy adds to this risk.

Over 1 in 10 Employees Retain Little to None of Their Company’s AI Policy

In a new study from Adobe Acrobat, almost 40% of employees revealed they hadn’t received any AI policy information at onboarding. Of those that did receive a policy, over 1 in 10 said they’d retained little to none of it. 

Onboarding can be a stressful and overwhelming time for new starters. However, employees not retaining the AI policies they’re given, or not being given them at all, poses a double threat to businesses when it comes to security and data protection.

As well as AI policies, IT information and legal & compliance guidelines ranked highest among the most-forgotten onboarding items.

Onboarding Varies Across Hybrid and Remote Employees

Exclusive data reveals some divide between hybrid, fully on-site, and fully remote employees when it comes to information retention at onboarding. 47% of hybrid employees say they retain more than half of their onboarding information, compared to 59% of fully remote and fully on-site employees.

Similarly, a higher percentage of remote employees (38%) were unable to find onboarding documents after week one of their new role, compared to hybrid (36%) and fully on-site (28%) employees.

For hybrid and fully on-site employees, it’s much easier to ask a manager or colleague for this information in-person, if it can’t be found independently. Remote employees are at a disadvantage in this sense.

This lack of understanding not only impacts confidence and clarity when moving into a new role. For businesses adopting AI, the consequences can be significant if an employee doesn’t properly understand how they are expected to use the technology.

While the study doesn’t indicate whether employees received an AI policy after onboarding, presenting this information early is key. It ensures new employees are exposed to the company’s culture and best practices when it comes to AI use.

The Impact of a Lack of AI Policy Knowledge

Businesses are reporting higher productivity, and higher levels of employee confidence, as they implement AI. To reap the full benefits of the technology today, means to understand the security risks AI poses, and to ensure these risks are fully mitigated across operations.

A significant number of business leaders report AI mistakes have impacted their business. Moreover, as data breaches become more common and powerful (thanks in part to AI use by cyber criminals), companies need to be protecting data that becomes vulnerable when a new technology like AI is adopted.

AI use within your organization should be outlined with a clear and accurate AI policy. This gives employees guidance on how they should be using AI in their day-to-day, including sanctioned tools and the handling of sensitive information. It also creates a strong understanding of potential risks and promotes a positive AI security culture.

The above study recognizes the vast amount of information new employees reckon with during onboarding. On average, employees receive 13 individual documents, and spend an average of 12 hours reviewing onboarding materials in their first week. The top onboarding improvement recommended by employees was a single, searchable hub for all documents and materials.

Overall, businesses may want to consider pacing their onboarding process. Similarly, continually revisit important topics such as AI use regularly. Information should also be readily available for employees to review at any time, without friction.