4 Keys for Innovative Compliance Training

In an era of increasingly complicated regulations and frequent corporate scandals, compliance training is vital for most companies. Acting in accordance with rules, regulations, and laws help keep companies away from lawsuits and fines. However, the Brandon Hall Group found that only 40% of businesses say they are thoroughly prepared for a compliance audit in 2017. Furthermore, the large number of corporate scandals that have transpired in the past few years act as further evidence that many companies’ compliance trainings are ineffective or, at least, could use some improvement.

How to Create Innovative Compliance Training

So, how can companies make sure they’re doing what they can to teach their employees the laws and rules that affect day-to-day business? Regardless of the industry or regulations, companies can take the following four steps to ensure their compliance training will be more effective and enjoyable for their employees.

Align Culture with Compliance Training

Only 40% of businesses say they are thoroughly prepared for a compliance audit

The most important step to improving compliance training is making work culture align with the onboarding training new hires will receive. If early training during the onboarding process teaches that compliance is essential while co-workers, supervisors, and managers act as if it’s annoying or as if it gets in the way of work, compliance will not be a priority. However, if work culture teaches that compliance is important, helpful, and beneficial, employees will be more likely to comply with the necessary rules and regulations.

Making an enjoyable compliance training program will help create this pro-compliance culture. You can look to the National Association Consumer Safety Education case study on our website as an example.  Using current technology and techniques, companies can make training that employees will learn from and will want to participate in.

Doing Good with Gamification

Gamifying compliance training has been found to be an effective new training method for making compliance trainings enjoyable. Built-in awards, badges, and challenges can be effective motivators. Since the mandatory nature of compliance employee training tends to sap intrinsic motivation, gamification can act as a method of motivation on its own.

Gamification is also a far more active method of training than those generally used when teaching compliance. Compliance is sometimes taught using slideshows, long videos, and lists of information, followed by a short quiz. Such passive methods of learning have been found to be less sticky than active, interactive methods of learning.

Make Training Applicable to Everyday Life

Some trainings list off rules and facts, then administer tests on said rules and facts. Not only is this method of training less sticky than more interactive methods, it also teaches concepts in the abstract. Alternatively, putting compliance rules and facts in the context of day-to-day situations during training prepares those being trained to apply what they’re learning to other, real-life problems. It also engages the trainees’ critical thinking, increasing their active participation in the training.

Spread the Load

One of the other shortcomings of many training programs is how little time there is for training to be given. Whether the company wants a new hire’s training done within their first week on the job or if there just isn’t much time for employees to do training during their day, information is often given at a rapid pace for short periods of time. This leads to cognitive overload and shows an underlying lack of interest in the training material on the part of the company.

The best way to prevent this is simple: spread training out. This can be done by simply providing time for the employee to complete compliance training throughout different parts of the week so they have time to absorb the information. It can also be done by providing easy access to information, so employees can complete compliance training at their leisure and can access information about compliance regulation in the case that something comes up at work. AllenComm did something similar for the award-winning training created for Perinatal Quality Foundation, making it possible for providers and customers to access important information whenever they desired.

Conclusion

Compliance training programs are increasingly key components to company security. By creating a culture of compliance, utilizing gamification, applying training to everyday life, and spreading the load of information, you will improve the quality of your compliance program, thereby making it more effective and increasing employee enjoyment.