“Bring Your Own AI”: The need for a clear AI-strategy?

Employees increasingly bring AI-tools as ChatGPT to work without supervision or formal authorisation from the organisation. This phenomenon, better known as ‘Bring Your Own Ai’ (BYOAI), presents opportunities for organisations, but also risks. Without an AI-strategy, organisations face data security and compliance issues. Organisations face important choices: What opportunities and risks does BYOAI create and why is a clear AI-strategy indispensable?

 

Author

Niels Nijhuis
Vrije University of Amsterdam

Keywords

29 October 2024

The market is changing rapidly, especially in terms of technological developments. Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a central theme in this context. Despite AI’s popularity, many organisations have not yet developed formal AI-strategies. There are no guidelines for the ethical, legal, and safe use of AI tools within an organisation. In contrast, employees are taking the initiative into their own hands and starting to use generative AI-tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini independently. This leads to the phenomenon: ‘Bring Your Own AI’ (BYOAI), where employees use generative AI- tools without supervision or formal authorisation from the organisation. However, organisations must move from BYOAI to a controlled AI-strategy.

I had the opportunity to interview an AI operator, Jurgen Gankema. Gankema supports organisations with AI inspiration sessions and pathways to help organisations understand and successfully integrate AI into their strategy and operations. The conversation revealed opportunities and challenges of BYOAI in organisations, such as the opportunities and risks of BYOAI and how they can be controlled.

Using BYOAI: a blessing for the employee?

BYOAI refers to using generative AI-tools, such as ChatGPT and Gemini, without formal management approval. These AI-tools are often free and increasingly accessible to individuals, which allows employees to use them quickly. While organisations lag in implementing AI-strategies, employees enjoy the advantages, such as automating tasks and increasing productivity. However, these short-term gains obscure long-term data security and compliance risks. Gankema notes, “You just start working more productively, your work becomes more fun. The emails you normally have to write, now you just type much faster. These are simple examples.”. While BYOAI offers advantages for individual employees, organisations may face significant risks, for example in terms of data security and compliance, which need to be carefully managed.

BYOAI risks: data and compliance

While it brings advantages for employees, it brings risks and challenges for organisations. Gankema emphasises that there are risks with BYOAI: “Is that you see that a lot of people already start working with AI themselves within an organisation … they bring their own private accounts, but that ensures that there is no strategy behind it from the organisation. They do not know what is happening in the workplace with those tools. People are not trained to work with them. That only brings risks.”. The use of generative AI-tools present risks for data security and compliance. Generative AI-tools can store and process data in ways that organisations are unaware of, such as personal data or information about unreleased products. Employees may unknowingly share confidential information with AI systems. Gankema notes, “I think the biggest danger in this is that as an organisation you do not have visibility into data compliance and how it is being managed. That just all eludes you and if you want to get visibility on that, you have to make sure you have a good strategy.”. Without an approved strategy, organisations have no visibility into what is happening in the workplace, which makes it a major risk that can lead to data breaches and legal issues.

I think the biggest danger in this is that as an organisation you do not have visibility into data compliance and how it is being managed. That just all eludes you and if you want to get visibility on that, you have to make sure you have a good strategy.

Why are organisations lagging in AI adoption?

Despite the advantages and urgency to develop an AI-strategy, organisations remain hesitant. Gankema sees that organisations do not yet have enough knowledge on how to safely implement an AI-strategy, as well as the fear of resistance in the organisation. According to Gankema: “From organisations, this can just create serious resistance if my job suddenly disappears, and what should I do with my staff and how am I going to announce that (…). Also, a piece of fear … because of that they think, we will wait a bit until it is clearer.”. This approach is understandable, but waiting for clarity is risky. It slows down the growth of an organisation, but also increases exposure to risks that a well-defined AI-strategy could help reduce.

In addition, Gankema gave another perspective on BYOAI, namely that organisations should be happy with employees bringing their own AI-tools to work: “I think as an organisation, if you have to deal with employees bringing their own AI-tools to the workplace, you should actually be very happy with the staff you have running around. It shows that people in the workplace are very innovative and open to change and willing to just work much more efficiently.”. While organisations should be happy to have innovative employees, it is essential that they work within the controlled AI-strategy.

Organisations do not yet have enough knowledge on how to safely implement an AI-strategy, as well as the fear of resistance in the organisation.

Implementing a controlled AI-strategy

As an organisation, you want to move from BYOAI to a controlled AI-strategy, but why is that important?

Ultimately, as an organisation, you want to get rid of Bring Your Own AI to work.

Gankema notes that: “Ultimately, as an organisation, you want to get rid of Bring Your Own AI to work. As an organisation, you want to be the one to make sure this is no longer necessary. People need to use the tools you provide them with, what you have visibility into, what you can monitor.”. While Gankema suggests that BYOAI should be removed from the workplace, it could rather be replaced with a controlled AI-strategy. According to Gankema, this strategy should have four elements. Firstly, Ethics, this looks at how ethical it is how AI is applied. Secondly, Legal Compliance, this involves AI-tools complying with legal requirements. Thirdly, Data Compliance, this involves making guidelines on how to manage compliance around data. For example, the storage and processing of data. Lastly, Change Management, because of the changes it also has an impact on the organisation where employees need to feel heard and supported. This is where it is also helpful for organisations to adopt paid AI subscriptions for businesses to have more control and security over how data is used and processed. While these elements provide a solid foundation, it is crucial that organisations act quickly to implement a controlled AI-strategy. Although BYOAI offers advantages to employees, they may not realise that it creates risks for organisations. With a well-developed AI-strategy, employees can retain the same advantages while ensuring organisations’ data security and compliance.

Acknowledgement Statement

This blog is part of the student writing competition in the Management Consulting Master Program at the School of Business and Economics.

Author

Niels Nijhuis
Vrije University of Amsterdam

Niels Nijhuis is a master’s student in Business Administration at the Vrije University of Amsterdam with a specialisation in Management Consulting. He has a background in the Bachelor of Science in Finance & Control. Here, his interests are in change management and optimisations to help organisations.

 

 

 

How Workplace Changes and Managerial Support Impact Employee Learning

Are workplace changes enough to drive employee learning, or is something more required? Our findings reveal that while change spurs learning, managerial support is the key to unlocking both formal and informal development. Empowering leaders to champion continuous growth helps organizations adapt and thrive.

Authors

Roy B. L. Sijbom
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Jessie Koen
TNO, University of Amsterdam
Roy Peijen
TNO
Paul Preenen
TNO, Saxion University of Applied Sciences

Keywords

Download the full study

Sijbom, R. B. L., Koen, J., Peijen, R., & Preenen, P. T. Y. (2024). The impact of workplace changes and supervisor support on employee learning: A nonlinear perspective. Human Resource Development International, 0(0), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/13678868.2024.2401302

7 October 2024

In today’s fast-evolving work environment, employees are continuously navigating new technologies, shifting customer needs, and organizational restructuring. These changes demand constant learning and adaptation, making the ability to develop new skills vital for employee and organizational success. But how exactly do these workplace changes influence employee learning? More importantly, what role does managerial support play in this process?

A recent study published in Human Resource Development International by Roy Sijbom (VU Amsterdam), Jessie Koen (TNO, Universiteit van Amsterdam), Roy Peijen (TNO) and Paul Preenen (TNO, Saxion) sheds light on these questions. The study explores how workplace changes, combined with managerial support, affect employee participation in both formal and informal learning activities. The researchers analyzed data of more than 116,000 workers of a representative sample of the Dutch working population who participated in the National Employee Survey (NEA) conducted in 2018 and 2020.

Clarifying Formal vs. Informal Learning

Before diving into the study’s findings, it’s essential to understand the difference between formal and informal learning:

  • Formal learning consists of structured activities like training programs, courses, and workshops often organized and funded by employers. For example, an employee might attend a course on using new software or participate in a leadership development program.
  • Informal learning is less structured and happens during the flow of daily work. This includes learning from colleagues, experimenting with new approaches, or solving on-the-job challenges. For example, an employee might learn a new project management tool by observing a more experienced colleague.

Both forms of learning are critical, but workplace changes can impact them differently.

Workplace Changes Drive Learning

The study found that workplace changes—whether related to new technologies, team structures, or organizational shifts—generally encourage more learning, both formal and informal. When employees face new challenges, they are naturally motivated to acquire the skills then need to keep up with their evolving roles. For instance, imagine the introduction of AI-powered tools in a marketing department. Some employees may enroll in formal training to master data analytics, while others may pick up new skills informally through trial and error as they begin to experiment with the tools. Both types of learning help employees adapt to the new technology.

Workplace changes—whether related to new technologies, team structures, or organizational shifts—generally encourage more learning, both formal and informal.

The Complexity of Formal Learning

Interestingly, the relationship between workplace changes and formal learning is not always straightforward. The study found that while a moderate workplace changes can boost participation in formal learning activities, too many changes at once may decelerate learning. Employees may become overwhelmed by excessive transitions, leaving them with little time or energy for formal learning. For example, if a company undergoes rapid restructuring alongside technology upgrades, employees might struggle to juggle their day-to-day tasks with scheduled training, causing formal learning efforts to plateau.

The Critical Role of Managerial Support

One of the most important insights of the study is the crucial role that managerial support plays in fostering both formal and informal learning. Employees are far more likely to engage in learning activities when their managers encourage skills development, provide resources, and create a positive learning environment. For example, a manager who regularly discusses development opportunities with their team and offers relevant training can inspire proactive learning. This is especially true during times of minimal change when employees might otherwise overlook learning opportunities. A supportive leader might ask questions like, “What new skills would help you succeed in your role?” or “How can I support your development goals?”

Employees are far more likely to engage in learning activities when their managers encourage skills development, provide resources, and create a positive learning environment.

Practical Takeaways for Organizations

These findings offer valuable lessons for companies seeking to build a learning culture, especially in dynamic work environments.

Strategic Learning & Development: Rather than focusing solely on expensive formal training programs, companies might benefit from encouraging informal learning opportunities. Informal learning, such as mentoring, knowledge sharing, and on-the-job experimentation, can offer employees the flexibility to adapt more quickly and naturally to new challenges. For instance, a company might establish peer-learning groups where employees can exchange knowledge and best practices related to new technologies.

Rather than focusing solely on expensive formal training programs, companies might benefit from encouraging informal learning opportunities.

The Role of Leadership in Promoting Learning: Leaders are pivotal in fostering a culture of continuous learning. The study highlights four ways leader can support learning among their employees by: (a) setting clear expectations for continuous skill development; (b) providing regular feedback and discussing opportunities for growth; (c) facilitating access to learning resources, whether through formal training or informal mentoring programs; and (d) leading by example byshowing their teams that continuous development is valued and encouraged. For instance, a manager might attend a new training program alongside their team, demonstrating a commitment to lifelong learning.

Looking Ahead

While this study provides a foundational understanding of how workplace changes and managerial support impact employee learning, there is still much to explore. Future research could dive deeper into specific types of workplace changes—such as technological vs. structural changes—and how they differently affect learning behaviors. Additionally, investigating the long-term effects of managerial support on employee development could offer more actionable insights for organizations.

Conclusion

In today’s rapidly changing work environment, fostering a culture of learning is crucial for organizational success. The study underscores that strategically managing learning opportunities and empowering leaders to support their teams are key steps toward ensuring that employees remain adaptable, innovative, and future-ready.

Authors

Roy B. L. Sijbom
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Roy B. L. Sijbom is Associate Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His research focuses on the role of leadership and learning to prepare organizations and their workforce for the challenges of tomorrow. Recent research projects include the Smart Skills@Scale project in which we investigate interorganizational learning and knowledge exchange within the Dutch smart industry, and the SMART4L project in which we investigate how learning communities can be used as vehicles for lifelong learning. Learn more about Roy’s research here or follow me on LinkedIn.

Jessie Koen
TNO, University of Amsterdam

Jessie Koen works as a senior scientist Future of Work at TNO and is affiliated with the Work & Organizational Psychology group at the University of Amsterdam. She focuses on how work and labor market can be transformed in such a way that it stimulates continuous learning and proactivity, to ensure a future-proof workforce that can contribute to societal transitions. She leads several major research projects in this area and has received multiple awards and grants for her work, which is often published in leading scientific journals. LinkedIn.

Roy Peijen
TNO

Roy Peijen is a medior scientist at TNO in the Sustainable Productivity and Employability department. His research focuses on workplace innovation, skills-based hiring, lifelong learning, and labor market (re)integration. He specializes in quantitative research, leveraging advanced statistical techniques, experimental designs, and data processing methods. Roy has been involved in several national and European projects. LinkedIn.

Paul Preenen
TNO, Saxion University of Applied Sciences

Paul Preenen is senior scientist Future of Work at TNO, and Professor of Applied Sciences in Human Capital at Saxion University of Applied Sciences. His research focuses on Workplace Innovation and the consequences of technology for organizations, management and employees. LinkedIn.