One-page AI guidelines that staff actually read and use

What a one-page AI guideline should cover

Your one pager is a quick practical rulebook for using AI at work. It tells people what tools they may use, what data they may enter and when they must stop and ask someone. Aim for one side of A4 that a busy employee can scan in under two minutes. Include four essentials: allowed tools, allowed and forbidden data, typical use cases and escalation rules. Avoid long explanations about how AI works. The goal is simple: staff make fewer risky mistakes and still feel safe to try AI for everyday tasks.

Keep language simple and concrete

Write for someone who is tired at the end of a shift. Use short sentences and common words. Replace abstract phrases with concrete actions, for example say “Do not paste customer IDs into public AI tools” instead of “Avoid confidential data leakage.” Use bullet points and headings so people can scan on a phone. Stay away from internal jargon and legal language. If a rule needs legal wording, add it in a separate policy document and keep the one pager as the plain language version that points to it.

Define clear do, do not and ask-first rules

Frontline staff need fast decisions, not long theory. Split your rules into three lists. First, “You can” tasks, for example drafting emails or summarising public articles. Second, “You must not” actions, such as entering health data or full payment details. Third, “Ask first” cases, for example customer complaints, legal topics or anything that feels sensitive. Limit each list to a handful of items. If you are unsure where something belongs, put it in “Ask first” and review later based on real questions from the team.

Make it practical with real work examples

Many people understand rules only once they see their own tasks in them. Take three to five typical workflows and show how AI fits in safely. For example, how a customer agent can use AI to draft a reply, then check and personalise it before sending. Or how a planner can use AI to turn bullet points into a short report. Place these examples in a box on the one pager so they stand out. Update them every few months based on what staff actually do and the problems they run into.

Roll out and keep the one pager alive

A one pager only helps if people see and trust it. Share it where staff already work, for example intranet, chat pin, team room wall or as a printed card. Walk through it in short team meetings and invite questions. Collect real edge cases and confusion, then adjust the wording. Review at least every quarter together with security and legal. When tools or rules change, highlight what is new at the top with a date. Old and unclear guidelines cause more risk than having fewer but current and clear rules.

Useful links

• OECD AI — High level principles that can inspire your internal rules.
• NIST — Risk and trust frameworks that you can translate into simple guidance.

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