Compliance training is often seen as a necessary evil. Employees dread it, and managers struggle to make it engaging. But what if we told you that compliance training could be fun? Yes, you read that right. Imagine a world where your employees are kept up-to-date on regulations and policies without falling asleep, and most importantly, they actually engage with the training for it to be effective. 

It doesn’t take a genius to know that traditional compliance training isn’t working; employees mindlessly tap through dry old lengthy courses, eager to get back to their day jobs. But employee engagement matters now so more than ever before. Organisations are facing unprecedented levels of workplace litigation issues, employee attrition and lost productivity, and workplace misconduct alone costs US businesses upwards of $20bn a year. 

In this article, we'll be speaking about the importance of creating compliance training that your employees will actually enjoy.

The issue with traditional compliance training

Let's be real, most employees view compliance training as just another boring task to check off their to-do list, like eating your vegetables or brushing your teeth. However, it doesn't have to be this way.

The problem is most employees don’t really understand why it matters so much. For decades the approach has been to been to scare employees into caring. Companies send their employees strongly worded emails, continuously chasing them to complete their courses, without giving a second thought to why they might not be engaging in the first place. It may seem simple when you read this, but the trick to getting someone to do something is to make it appeal to them, not just something you want them to do because you’ve told them so. Basically, more carrot, less stick.

When employees don't understand the importance of compliance, it can put the whole organisation at risk. So, if we want to avoid legal and reputational harm, we need to find a way to make compliance training engaging and effective.

Why should you ditch it?

When compliance training is made to be engaging and fun, it takes a lot of these issues out of the equation.  When you re-think compliance training from the ground up, you have the opportunity to bring a bit of colour and fun into the process while still relaying the essential information that makes it important in the first place.  Newer online compliance training methods are flexible, so employees can complete it at their own pace and on their own schedule. No more having to attend boring in-person sessions during their precious free time, and no more poor engagement rates due to the time constraints of busy working life. With the ability to track your progress and completion, you'll never have to worry about falling behind.  Harvard Business Review has established that firms cannot create effective compliance training unless they use effective measurement tools — you need to know that a) people are taking part in the training and, b), the training is actually helping.

When compliance training is actually enjoyable and engaging, employees are more likely to remember the information and apply it to their work. That means fewer risks and headaches for the whole organisation. 

Now, we know what you’re thinking: won't employees just click through the training without actually paying attention? The answer is yes - unless you invest in online training that is designed specifically to be engaging and target the areas that employees want to learn about.

What makes great compliance training?

In our opinion, modernising compliance training is the key to making it enjoyable, and, therefore, more effective. With online training, you can create short yet effective interactive modules that engage employees and make learning fun. Here are some tips for creating effective online compliance training:

1. Multimedia: One of the biggest advantages of online training is the ability to incorporate multimedia. Using videos, animations, and interactive quizzes keep employees engaged, and make the training more memorable too. For example, you could create a video that simulates a workplace scenario and asks employees to choose the correct response. Since we take in information using sensory memory, such as hearing and seeing, using audio and visual tools will increase the chances of the information being retained.  Studies have shown that multimedia learning is effective in training.

2. Bite-sized: The human attention span lasts only so long, and lengthy training sessions are a recipe for boredom. Break up your training into bite-sized modules that employees can complete at their own pace. This will help prevent information overload and keep employees focused.  Want to learn more on this? Check out our blog on the effectiveness of microlearning!

3. Gamification: Gamification is a powerful tool for engagement. Create games and challenges that teach employees about compliance topics. For example, you could create a quiz show-style game where employees compete to answer compliance questions.

4. Personalisation: Not all workplaces will engage with the same learning style. Personalise your training by reaching out and asking your workforce what is going to work for them. For example, you could incorporate a video module if you have many visual learners, adding text-based content for those who prefer reading.

Compliance training doesn't have to be a chore. With modernised online training, you can create an enjoyable and effective learning experience for your employees. By incorporating multimedia, gamification, and personalisation, you can create a culture of compliance that benefits everyone. So, what are you waiting for? Get started on modernising your online compliance training today!