Purpose of Compliance Training

Complying with training mandates at factories helps keep workers safe.

All types of corporate training is intended to improve the skills of employees. But, corporate compliance training is also influenced by more serious factors. From preventing harassment at work to ensuring the physical safety of employees and keeping regulated industry workers up-to-speed on new legislation, compliance training is frequently mandated by many types of organizations.

Significance

Compliance training is delivered to employees within various industries as an effort to educate them on the laws and regulations that pertain to their industry or specific job function. Corporations that fail to comply to the training mandates could be subject to costly lawsuits if an employee or customer is hurt on the job or disrespected in some significant and hurtful way. Highly regulated industries, in which compliance training is typically ongoing, include the medical and pharmaceutical arenas.

Types

There are many types of compliance training topics, including ethical, safety and regulatory compliance training. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which is a division of the United States Department of Labor, mandates that certain industries train employees in the hazards they may face during their daily work schedule. Some corporations also require code of ethics training for all employees on topics like sexual harassment. And, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requires all hospital employees to receive frequent regulatory training.

Benefits

The benefits of compliance training revolve around the avoidance of costly mistakes that breach the law in some way. Proper compliance training will prepare a company and its workforce for random safety inspections by encouraging a consistently safe workplace. In addition, compliance training lets employees know in no uncertain terms what behavior policies are in place and what procedures and consequences will result in non-compliance. Turnover is often reduced and productivity is increased when employees feel they are working in a safe environment that is supported by open communication.

Considerations

The learning management system (LMS), which is a software application that allows for the delivery and tracking of workplace training via the Internet, has become a popular platform for delivering compliance training. Training courses delivered via LMS can be accessed at any time that is convenient to the learner, and hundreds of employees can access the training at the same time. Another added benefit of the LMS is its ease of use in terms of quickly updating training content, which is a good fit with a highly regulated industry like the financial services realm.

History

In December 1970, Congress passed the Occupational Safety and Health Act in order to assure safe working conditions for all employees, according to the United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The act called for the enforcement of certain standards for safety by providing state organizations with information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health.

References

• OSHA: Training and Employee Education

Resources

• LRN: How to Create an Effective Corporate Compliance Training Program