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For most companies with more than a couple of hundred employees, the early to mid-2000s saw the emergence of a new direction in Code of Conduct and compliance training. Whereas this training had been almost entirely conducted in person, companies were adopting an asynchronous learning model that was either partially or completely computer-based.
More than a decade later, computer-based-training (CBT) still offers many benefits, but today’s compliance professionals need to understand the potential drawbacks that have become more apparent – and how to overcome those issues.
The Weaknesses Of Computer-Based Compliance Training
With an asynchronous learning model, people are able to learn at different times and take compliance training when they have a free moment. Since employees don’t need to travel to training locations, this saves companies lots of time and money.
CBTs may also be valuable from a risk management perspective. Some systems provide you with a record of precisely what content your learners viewed and precisely when they viewed it – as well as proof that they were able to correctly answer a handful of questions afterwards.
Even so, e-learning should not be your sole mode of compliance communication. Here are just two examples of why today’s compliance reality calls for a more comprehensive, holistic approach:
- Training Fatigue
Many commercially available CBTs are still being sold in long, 35- to 60-minute formats. It doesn’t take many such courses before learners start to feel daunted by the amount of material and experience training fatigue. Overly long compliance training courses can foment attitudes of resentment and resistance.
Solution: Most compliance communication is about awareness. In many cases, long e-learning programs can be replaced by quick bursts of information that are much less intrusive, are received much more appreciatively (for being brief!) and, ultimately, can be much more effective.
- Limited Impact On Behavior
The larger concern, however, is whether one-off CBT sessions are effective. Although these programs may be designed using state-of-the-art adult learning methodologies, the fact is that if the information in the course is not being periodically and regularly reinforced over time, retention will drop significantly.
We know from marketing and advertising experts that it takes 9-21 “impressions” before a consumer is ready to buy. This is a significant indicator of how challenging it can be to elicit behavior change (even when that consumer wants to buy in the first place).
Solution: Releasing bursts of crisp, memorable and topical communication let you deliver messages that are easy to deploy, are easy to absorb and fortify your Code of Conduct and compliance training and policy efforts. Plus, these “waves” of communication allow you to leverage the power of repetition throughout the year for an impact you cannot achieve through longer training events.
Building On The Strengths Of Your Compliance Training
In the years since CBT and e-learning became central to corporate compliance programs, many companies have found these systems to be effective, if limited. For compliance professionals (and their partners in HR, learning and development and corporate communications), using multiple modes of communication – over multiple channels – is essential to guiding employees toward compliant behavior and creating a more effective compliance program.
Being realistic about the strengths and weaknesses of these tools allows you to be proactive about reinforcing your core compliance training and policy efforts with additional communications. Communicating in an effective and ongoing manner requires a little discipline, but it doesn’t need to be difficult.
Ready to engage and empower your employees with a dynamic compliance communication plan?
