Written by 5:16 pm Upside Learning • 30 Comments

Bridging the gap between the ‘intent’ and ‘mechanics’ of compliance programs

An effective learning intervention brings three considerations under the spotlight: the learner, the content, and the learning environment. And in the case of compliance training in particular, two vital aspects of the learning environment come into picture: the intent or the ‘what’ behind the program (what the training stands for) and the mechanics involved in it or the ‘how’ of the program (the actual implementation).
The whole process of designing and implementing a successful compliance intervention also tends to be influenced by two sides of the compliance coin itself: the organizations’ perspective and the employee perspective.

Here’s how:
For an organization, the intent is most often a one-time training intervention that aims to ‘tick-the-box’ while safeguarding the organization itself against the risks of non-compliance. The mechanics might generally see organizations compiling courses encompassing the applicable policies and procedures, and enforcing them across the organization. Through the process, a leading motivator for most organizations is a certificate of completion to ‘tick the box’ on regulatory requirements. However, what could act as the missing element between the intent and the mechanism is a thorough understanding of the need for a culture of compliance – a quality of the learning environment itself that enables employees to act in a compliant manner.
For employees, on the other hand, the intent is oftentimes a ‘must-do’ activity that perhaps involves very little interest or engagement. The mechanics may, in turn, involve passive presence in sessions to obtain a certificate. When thinking about the gap in this perspective, a deeper understanding of the context of training is what comes to the fore. An appreciation for the relevance of the training would enable employees to act in a compliant manner by virtue of experiencing traits of a culture of compliance.
In light of these perspectives, it would help organizations to consider taking steps towards bridging this gap between the ‘what’ and the ‘how’ for themselves first. For employees, compliance programs may work better with sensitization about the importance of being compliant, and the impact and payback of non-compliance. Given the importance of effective compliance programs, organizations could benefit by continuing to invest time, money, and resources in them – but with a renewed focus on the intent.
In our eBook on ‘Compliance Training: Stop Ticking Boxes’, we present to you the way forward on how companies can bridge the gap between the intent and mechanics of compliance programs
Download the eBook here!

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