Learning Management System: The Sine Qua Non for Effective Compliance Training

In a well-structured corporate training environment, complianceis not only a necessity but also a significant responsibility, both legally andoperationally. The CGS 2017 Enterprise Learning Annual Report: Corporate Learning Trends, Observations & Predictions reports that 37.75% ofthe 200 respondents consider “improving technical and compliance capabilities” tobe one of the top three issues related to corporate learning. And why so? Becauseadherence to laws and regulations related to any business is crucial. It helps inalleviating risks and safeguarding organizational reputation, and it ensuresthat there are no unnecessary legal tussles and penalties.

Over the years, most organizations have graduated from thetraditional ways of explaining regulations to their employees and moved on toonline training. However, the subject matter of compliance training is still seenas a necessary evil—a type of medicine to be taken. The PwC State of Compliance Study 2016 evenpointed out that “79% of CEOs cited over-regulation as a top threat to theirorganizations’ growth prospects.” Overwhelming employees with a long list ofcompliance standards can often end up creating a wrong picture about compliancein general.

What compliance training needs is a revamp, and it ideallybegins with change in the instructional design outlook and creating learningsolutions that are apt, relevant, and applicable. An LMS with the flexibilityto make changes, updates, and additions as you go can play a pivotal role inmanaging the compliance experience. From content delivery to greater outreachbased on learners’ roles, assessments, and certifications, to automaticscheduling of refresher courses as and when needed, an LMS can address most of theregulatory training issues in a time and cost-efficient way.

An LMS is also an ideal compliance training solution becauseit can be accessed anywhere, anytime, on the device of one’s choice. But theeffectiveness of compliance training using an LMS isn’t mere luck; it dependson certain strategies.

Here are nine tips to ensure effective compliance trainingwith an LMS.

1. Utilize the power of multimedia and learning elements

Compliance training programs deal with critical subjectmatter that impacts the overall functioning of an organization. Hence, it mustmeet the needs of all the learners. One way to do so is by utilizing the powerof multimedia (strong imagery, audio clips, interactivity, etc.) and learningelements (eLearning courses, PDFs, PPTs, videos, infographics, etc.) in the compliancetraining strategy.

2. Cash in on mobile learning

Mobile learning gives employees the flexibility to access compliancetraining anytime and anywhere. A responsive LMS goes a step beyond, enablingemployees to even switch between devices and continue their learning seamlesslyon the device of their choice.

3. Use the LMS as a repository

Holding compliance training records for future reference(including audits, etc.) is often a tough task for organizations. An LMS can actas a centralized data storage system and a repository to hold training records,competencies, certificates, and a summary of each trainee’s real-time status. Itcan manage future compliance training schedules and avoid repetitive scheduling,too.

4. Make assessments simple

Any training is incomplete without proper assessment. An LMSwith strong assessment capabilities helps organizations in assigning variousassessments (and assignments) to the learners, i.e., employees.

5. Make it a two-way street

Online surveys, questionnaires, and polls provide anopportunity for the learners to share their opinions, voice their concerns,assist in identifying trends, and pinpoint areas for improvement in the existingtraining strategy.

6. Track, report, and make intelligent decisions

With an LMS, reporting becomes quite simple. Reports can beeasily drawn to track and monitor employees’ progress. This data can betranslated into meaningful information for devising better L&D strategiesand improving processes.

7. Organize training schedules easily

Sending out notifications and reminders is a valuablefeature for scheduling training. It keeps learners aware of deadlines and assistsin delivering successful training results. For courses that require periodicrevisits, an LMS can send reminders to prompt learners to come back andre-certify on time.

8. Make it social

Knowledge sharing and collaborative learning are greatmediums to build an informal learning culture. Social media can be leveraged asan effective tool to encourage exchange of ideas, knowledge sharing, andcontent curation, too.

9. Keep them compliant—always!

Training and retraining is an inevitable part oforganizational growth. Having an LMS in place is the fool-proof strategy toensure that employees and their managers stay compliant all the time.