Let’s face it - compliance training is rarely the highlight of anyone’s week. Not only is the subject matter more often than not “on the dry side,” but the fact that these sessions are mandatory leaves many employees dreading them and dodging completion.
And yet despite its reputation as the least engaging of L&D activities, not following through with compliance and ethics training have potentially costly ramifications for both individual employees and organizations as a whole. Failure to comply with compliance training can lead to a number of risks such as of hefty fines, added restrictions, and in some cases, largely negative impacts on brand and customer trust.
But how can businesses of every size ensure that employees are getting the training they need, and how can employers go beyond the expected and deliver truly engaging compliance training that yields results?
It’s All about Perspective
Organizational attitudes towards compliance training begin at the top, and it is critical that leaders and HR professionals monitor the ways they communicate and ‘sell’ these mandatory trainings to their employees.
To put it simply, if you treat compliance training like a bitter pill to be swallowed, then your trainees most certainly will too. As a member of leadership, pay close attention to how you communicate the benefits of compliance training before, during, and after these sessions, and lead by example in showing your own active participation.
‘Dry’ subject matter is all a matter of perspective, so let's talk packaging. Don't just give employees a handbook, send them a link to a quiz and expect them to prioritize the task. Incorporate real-world examples into their compliance content, and provide them with a variety of multimedia tools and resources to reduce cognitive burnout and keep them motivated to complete their training.
In essence, you want to make this material as engaging as possible, despite the subject matter. For example, you can accomplish two things at once by recording videos internally that convey the required concepts. On one hand, you foster a bit of culture in getting people in the office involved and on camera; you may learn some people are natural public speakers, while others are a bit shy but perhaps particularly handy with editing the footage. On the other hand, you're creating much more of a draw for fellow employees to take the time to review the material as they're much more likely to want to watch a coworker - someone they know - explain something vs. a stock photo stranger.
Keep it Flexible, Accessible & Digestible
Flexible learning isn’t just about giving employees loose completion dates. Being flexible in your compliance training means being empathetic to the position of the trainee, as best you can. One of the best ways to warm employees to the benefits of compliance training is to provide them with the ability to access and complete training on their own terms.
By being aware of time restraints and communication preferences of employees, HR and L&D professionals can build training modules that work for, instead of against, the employee. Providing added flexibility in how, when, and where employees complete their mandatory training actually increases their likelihood of completing it in the first place.
Start by reconsidering the delivery method of choice for mandatory training, and look to multi-platform tools that allow employees to access training materials in a way that makes the most sense for them. Provide the tools they need to access compliance training materials in a way that meets their needs, schedules, and lifestyle. By combining your mobile learning strategy with the benefits of microlearning (or learning in small, digestible pieces), organizations can remove traditional barriers to mandatory training.
Analyze, Rinse, Repeat
While redefining what compliance training looks like is top-of-mind for organizations across every industry, it’s important that any changes in delivery methods are also measured and analyzed for continuous improvement.
That’s why an LCMS and authoring tools like MyEcontentFactory include the ability to capture valuable analytics that record employee engagement rates, assessment results, performance rates, and perhaps more important - the ability to tag and flag resources as favorites or improve on those that need it.
Organizations that consistently improve upon their compliance training materials and corporate training documents are sure to see a clear connection between interactivity and engagement, and quickly define what tools they need to keep employees safe, informed, and successful in their day-to-day activities.
Looking to boost engagement in your corporate learning strategy? Contact us to set up a free demo and get your employees back on board today!
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