Many, if not all, businesses are familiar with the concept of compliance training for employees. These training programs are mandated by law! Because of that, employers see compliance training as merely ticking off boxes and getting the training over with to get back to daily operations.
However, compliance training from platforms like True Office Learning go beyond that! Proper compliance training would protect businesses, along with their employees and clients.
And there are many benefits one can reap from an effective compliance training program! But of course, the keyword is “effective.” So, that said, what must you include in compliance training programs to truly benefit the organization?
Compliance Training for Internal Rules and Policies
Companies have their own internal policies, which would differ depending on the company and their industry. Companies’ policies may even change by the year! All the internal policies are encoded in the employee handbook, and it’s best to train employees on it rather than merely hand it out.
Here are some policies that received a lot of attention:
- Marijuana use
- Drug testing
- LGBTQ discrimination
Industry-Specific Compliance
While there are policies left for individual companies, many are also industry-specific. For instance, healthcare, finance, and manufacturing industries are heavily regulated. Each industry may have certain laws that employees aren’t completely aware of!
Here are some examples:
- Sarbanes-Oxley: This is a law covering the responsibilities of auditors and a corporation. Board of directors, outlining penalties for misconduct.
- HIPAA: This is well-known as the healthcare consumer’s right to privacy.
- SEC Regulations: These are for banks and other financial institutions.
- OSHA Requirements: These are safety requirements for employees that move heavy items, operate machinery, or work with hazardous materials.
State-Specific Compliance Laws
It isn’t only federal laws and company policies constraining employee behavior. Compliance topics would also vary depending on the state your organization is from!
For example, anti-harassment training. Specific laws that cover anti-harassment policies would look different in California than in Maine because of their differing laws.
Some areas may have a checkbox mentality with specific topics but regardless of that state you’re from, make sure you take every compliance topic seriously and find ways to make it engaging and valuable for everyone.
Company Culture
Some organizations already conduct training around their company mission, vision, and values. This is done particularly when onboarding new employees or promoting current employees to management positions. However, it’s best to go beyond the company statement.
All the compliance training conducted regarding internal policies, state-specific laws, and industry-specific regulations will most likely stick when you have a work culture of compliance.
If an organization doesn’t value respectful and ethical behavior daily, then simply being aware of the law and its penalties is not enough. Here are a few beneficial topics for training employees on during their compliance training program:
- Ethics
- Active listening
- Civility in the workplace
- Unconscious bias
- Diversity continuum
Wrapping It Up
Now that you know what to include in your compliance training program, make sure to strategize appropriately to become successful!
