When it comes to compliance risks, you can’t afford not to train your staff. Training your employees on compliance topics is required by law in some instances, and strongly encouraged in all others. A simple read-and-agree approach is not enough. Your compliance training must be thorough, relevant to your industry, actionable, and trackable.
The Administrative Side of Compliance Training
Training on important compliance topics is a critical business responsibility, but that doesn’t mean it has to be difficult to achieve. Not only do you have to train on issues such as PCI standards, harassment, discrimination, safety, you have to prove you’ve trained on these topics. Online training through a user-friendly learning management system is the most efficient way to get this done. The right system can streamline the tasks of assigning, tracking, and providing documentation related to compliance training courses. Course certifications that are issued by your online training program reinforce the importance of the training and create a sense of increased accountability.
The Legal Side of Compliance Training
If you haven’t heard the term “affirmative defense,” we hope you never have to learn about it the hard way. The United States Supreme Court has ruled that employers can be held liable for harassment and discrimination if they don’t put forth reasonable efforts to prevent and promptly correct these types of problems in the workplace. Should you be sued for harassment, discrimination, or similar issues, you have a chance at an affirmative defense if you can prove that you provided comprehensive training on issues such as preventing harassment and responsible alcohol sales.
The Human Side of Compliance Training
Your staff is your greatest asset. Their safety and well-being is your responsibility. When you have well-trained employees who feel good about where they work and who they work with, they’ll be more committed, loyal, and customer-service focused. Providing a safe and positive working environment is not only a necessary thing to do, it’s also the right thing to do.
Legal and education expert Paul McNulty once said, “If you think compliance is expensive, try non-compliance.”
