The AI Trust Gap: It Is Time to Lead - Guest Article by Mark Butterick
The New Reality on the Ground
Let us be clear: the artificial intelligence debate in the boardroom is over. The real conversation is now happening at kitchen tables, on commutes, and at desks across your organisation. Employees are not waiting for permission or a corporate rollout. They are quietly using smart, consumer-friendly tools to make their jobs easier- untangling a complicated policy, drafting a tricky email, or getting a second opinion on a project plan.
This is not rebellion; it is human nature. When people face friction, they find a workaround. Our role as leaders is not to scold or to pretend we can put this technology back in its box. It is to step in and guide this energy so it strengthens, rather than accidentally undermines, the team and the company. This shifts the question from “Should we use artificial intelligence?” to “How will we use it well together?”
What Is Really at Stake
Ignoring this shift is not just a missed opportunity- it is a quiet governance crisis. The guidance from leading United Kingdom professional bodies is strikingly aligned. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2023) puts it plainly: unmanaged artificial intelligence adoption is digging a deep trust deficit in our workplaces. Meanwhile, the Chartered Management Institute (2023) points out that many managers feel out of their depth, which is a direct risk to team cohesion and effective leadership.
The fallout is practical and personal. It could be something as simple as a private employee concern being typed into a public chatbot, accidentally exposing sensitive data. Or a manager relying on an artificial intelligence-generated summary for a performance review, not realising it has missed a crucial nuance. Over time, this erodes the fair, transparent processes that are the bedrock of a healthy organisation. It is not just about legal compliance (though that matters), but about protecting the culture and trust we have worked hard to build.
A Practical Path Forward
So, where do we start? By moving from anxiety to action, and from control to stewardship. Here is a straightforward, three-part focus that has worked for the leaders I advise.
First, Draw the Map: Set Clear Guardrails.
People cannot play by the rules if the rules are a mystery. Your team needs a clear, simple charter- a single page that answers the questions they are already asking. What information is strictly off-limits for public tools? Who is ultimately accountable when artificial intelligence helps make a decision? By making the boundaries clear, you are not shutting down innovation; you are creating a safe space for it. Clarity is a gift that replaces nervous guesswork with confident experimentation.
Second, Build a Better Path: Provide the Right Tools.
Let us be honest: if the official way is clunky and slow, and the unofficial way is fast and easy, we know which one people will choose. Our job is to make the right way the good way. Listen to your teams. Where are they using outside tools the most? Is it for writing, data analysis, or brainstorming? Then, provide a secure, internal alternative that is genuinely helpful. This is not about policing- it is about enabling great work safely and giving people a tool they will prefer to use.
Third, Coach the Coaches: Arm Your Managers.
Our frontline leaders are feeling this pressure most acutely. They are the ones asked to guide their teams, yet they may not feel equipped. We need to give them that confidence. Move beyond theory to practical, hands-on training. Help them learn how to spot a biased output, how to fact-check an artificial intelligence-generated summary, and how to have a constructive conversation with a team member about using these tools wisely. As the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (2024) notes, building this practical judgement is not optional- it is essential for ethical leadership today. A supported manager is your most powerful asset for navigating this change.
Your Moment to Lead
This is not just another technology trend. It is a defining moment for leadership, especially in Human Resources. The question is not if you will respond, but how and how soon.
The way through is practical, not perfect: set the boundaries, offer the better tools, and back your people up. This is how we turn a potential risk into a source of resilience. More than that, it is how the Human Resources function can truly lead- shaping a workplace that is both modern and deeply human.
It starts with a single, concrete step. Pull your key leaders together in the next few weeks- not for a vague discussion, but to draft that essential artificial intelligence charter. It is the tangible act that changes the conversation from “What if?” to “Here is how.”
This can feel like uncharted territory. I provide senior leaders with the strategic advice and structured frameworks necessary to navigate this transition with confidence. For a detailed discussion on board-level governance or a tailored implementation plan, please contact me directly at www.reachhigherhr.co.uk.
Mark Butterick is an experienced HR director, consultant, and adviser with over 20 years’ experience supporting organisations across FTSE 100 companies, universities, and growing SMEs. A Chartered Fellow of both CIPD and CMI, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Royal Society of the Arts, he also holds an MA in HRM & Employment Law. He spent ten years lecturing on HRM and management consulting, including at the universities of Loughborough and Leeds. Through his consultancy, Reach Higher HR, Mark works on HR transformation, organisational design, leadership development, and culture change, offering practical, evidence-based insight that helps organisations align people, strategy, and culture to achieve measurable outcomes. Find out more at www.reachhigherhr.co.uk.
