Understand your team’s training needs

Most teams begin with a mix of skills and experience – understand what training each person needs. This helps provide the right support as your organisation starts to use more AI.

You may have a general idea of how your organisation plans to use AI and which tools may become part of day-to-day work. This can make it easier to ask the right questions.

Check in early to understand what training might be helpful. Engagement works better when you: 

• give your team a voice 
• involve your team early. 

Often, your team’s input can help you decide which tools to try. 

Meet your training obligations

Under work health and safety (WHS) laws, you need to provide training so your team can do their work safely, including when using AI. This includes guidance on using AI for tasks safely and being able to identify and address risks when they arise.

Anti‑discrimination laws also expect employers to train staff on expected behaviour and how to report issues, and to support managers to handle complaints and prevent harm.

You should also be aware of any training obligations that apply to your sector.

Create a feedback loop between your goals, your tools and your team’s capability. This keeps learning relevant and low effort, and supports safe and confident use of AI.

Use regular check-ins to track how confidence and understanding change over time. This helps you understand whether training and support are working. 

These conversations also reveal where people need more support, and what will help them use AI safely and effectively over time.

Leaders play an important role in building AI capability. They set direction, support a positive work culture, and create clear boundaries. Within these bounds, staff can take a more active role in their learning.

Self-guided learning doesn’t mean letting staff work things out by themselves. It means giving them the right tools, guidance and time to learn in ways that suit their role and experience. This approach works alongside formal training and practical application. 

Leaders can support independent learning by:

• setting clear expectations
• providing trusted resources and safe boundaries
• encouraging people to share what they learn  
• staying involved and supportive.

Over time, this helps create a culture where learning is ongoing, low pressure and connected to real work. This can make it easier for teams to adapt as tools and ways of working evolve.

What matters most is to: 

• revisit goals, tools and capability often  
• build a safe culture of experimentation 
• support and create space for independent learning.

To support safe practice and boundaries, create an AI policy.

Team members who are responsible for ensuring AI systems operate safely may benefit from training in the following areas:

• legal and regulatory obligations
• handling personal information
• operating, controlling, intervening in or shutting down an AI system
• oversight and monitoring
• procurement or use of third‑party systems
• development of safe and responsible AI systems

You can consider training in some of these areas to help your teams build capability.

When you understand your team’s training needs, you can support learning in a way that builds confidence and keeps AI use consistent. This helps reduce unsafe or unclear use as AI becomes part of everyday work.

Regular check‑ins help guide decisions about when to invest in training and support self-guided learning. This helps your team adapt as tools, roles and ways of working change.

References:  

Caldwell, M., Wouters, N., Spink, L., & Davis, N. (2025, June). From invisible to involved: A guide to worker engagement on AI. Human Technology Institute, University of Technology Sydney. 

How to do it

Guide your team through these practical resources: