Is Your Compliance Training Changing Behaviors?
Behavior-based training is the key to getting employees to change the way they work. Compliance training designers would do well to take note.
Changing behavior is the end goal of an effective compliance training program. However, Gallup data found that only one in 10 individuals who participated in ethics and compliance training within the past 12 months say they learned something that changed how they work. And fewer than 1 in 4 (23%) rated the training as “excellent.”
In contrast to conventional compliance training centered on rote memorization, behavior-based training has proven to permanently change behaviors by having employees practice with real-life scenarios. This approach facilitates active engagement, enabling learners to apply and sustain acquired knowledge through immersion. When employees — or any students, really — are engaged in their own learning, the chance of knowledge retention increases significantly. This has the added benefit of maximizing your investment in training initiatives and mitigating the risk of non-compliance.
Practice Makes Perfect
Perhaps you’ve heard that one of the most effective ways to learn is by doing. To demonstrate this, behavior-based training leads employees and managers in solving real-life challenges they might face in the workplace, then asking them to reflect on the outcome of their choices. Upon reflection, the learners can then adjust their approach and behavior accordingly to begin building better habits.
Using this scenario-based approach helps learners bridge the gap between the training experience and its on-the-job applications. They can also observe others’ choices and outcomes to better understand how their coworkers might think differently. Together, as a team, employees can practice working together toward the most favorable outcome, should the training scenario ever become real. Reframing problems and solutions based on others’ choices strengthens objectivity and leads to further behavioral changes.
Invest in “Sticky” Training
A good story connects people on an emotional level and holds their attention. Behavior-based training makes employees and managers an integral part of storytelling in short, relatable episodes to create a “sticky” learning experience.
Ideally, behavior-based training provides a safe space in which employees can process their choices in real time and analyze their actions. If they make mistakes, they can retrace their steps without fear of repercussions, and internalize the steps they took to reach the desired conclusion.
By utilizing behavior-focused training in combination with cutting-edge compliance software, organizations can achieve their compliance objectives while improving overall company culture. For more about implementing behavior-based training and ensuring your employees are empowered to comply with confidence, request a software demo with Star Compliance today.
5 Must-Haves for Corporate Ethics & Compliance
