Did you know that one in five employees have experienced violence and harassment at work? That’s almost 23% of all workers!
Once it happens, employees are to report harassment to their immediate supervisor. If that doesn’t work, they take the issue to HR.
To reduce HR department complaints and harassment claims, make HR compliance training a requirement for all employees. While this might not cut out the issue entirely, it will help.
Are you not sure how to craft a program? Check out this guide to learn what topics you should cover, how to make your training inclusive, and more.
Table of Contents
Why Do You Need Compliance Training?
The main (and most obvious) reason you need compliance training is that it’s required by law in most states.
Compliance training can increase employee morale and improve workplace productivity. Your employees will be able to trust and collaborate easier.
If your workers know the laws, they’re less likely to break them. That means you’ll spend less money on expensive lawsuits.
1. Make It Inclusive
It doesn’t matter if your small business hires locally or brings in remote employees. You have a diverse cast of workers on your team.
These people can bring a fresh look to your HR regulations. Let their voices be heard.
2. General Topics to Cover
There are a few general topics that should come up in training. These are anti-harassment, drug testing, and anti-retaliation.
Anti-Harassment
Your training should go over your harassment (sexual, physical, and verbal) policies. What counts as harassment for your company?
At the end of your training, employees should not only know how to spot harassment but also report it.
Drug Testing
Does your company do random drug testing? Do you drug test at all? Your employees will want the answer to these questions.
A way to lose workers is to hit them with something unexpected. If they know that they may be drug tested at some point, they can be ready for it.
Anti-Retaliation
One of the main reasons why harassment goes unreported is fear. Workers are scared of being retaliated against.
To put these workers at ease, and discourage any instigators, briefly cover your anti-retaliation policy.
Additionally, consider discussing the implications of the Adult Survivors Act, which may have relevance to your company’s policies and procedures. One of the key implications of the Adult Survivors Act for companies is the recognition that survivors may be among their employees. This underscores the importance of creating a safe and supportive work environment where survivors can feel comfortable coming forward if they choose to do so. It is imperative for organizations to acknowledge the potential presence of survivors and to have policies and procedures in place that facilitate a culture of empathy, understanding, and assistance.
3. Industry-Specific Topics to Cover
Once you finish going over your general policies, it’s time to talk about your industry-specific topics.
Your employees should know everything about cyber security, OSHA, HIPAA, and SEC regulations.
Cyber Security
Almost every industry uses computers to store and transfer data. All it takes is a single breach to ruin your company.
The best way to reduce your security risk is to discuss your cyber security policy in detail with your employees.
Some basic talking points should be password protection, malware, authentication, social media, phishing, email security, and incident response.
OSHA
The goal of OSHA is to keep workers safe from hazards. For your business to be OSHA compliant, there are rules and regulations your employees need to follow.
Your employees won’t know what these regulations are unless you tell them during their compliance training.
SEC Regulations
SEC regulations apply to financial businesses. It covers a company’s theft and security fraud policy.
HIPAA
HIPAA applies to everyone working in healthcare. It’s all about patient confidentiality.
Your employees can’t give away patient information. They can’t even name-drop them when discussing their work day with family and friends.
If your employees work from home doing health insurance, for example, they can’t have another person in the room with them. HIPAA can be pretty strict. That’s why it’s such a crucial topic in compliance training.
4. Set a Good Example
For your compliance training to stick, you and your managers must be a positive influence. If you don’t take HR processes and regulations seriously, why should your workers?
Even if you don’t agree with some of the policies, you still have to enforce them. If you voice your distaste for HIPAA or OSHA regulations, that attitude will spread through your office.
5. Be Attention-Grabbing
There’s nothing worse than sitting and receiving a lecture. After a few minutes, your eyes glaze over, and you stop paying attention.
To prevent your employees from getting bored with your training, make it entertaining. Incorporate interactive activities, videos, and quizzes into the regimen.
6. Implement a Reporting System
It is the responsibility of your employees to report harassment or anything in the workplace that may pose a threat. They can’t do that if they don’t know how to discuss what they see.
Most workplaces have an anonymous hotline that employees can call. Some employers require workers to go straight to HR or their supervisor with what they see.
7. Don’t Pay Too Much Attention to Numbers
Don’t look at how many people attend your compliance training. That’s a useless number that won’t contribute to the effectiveness of your program as a whole.
Instead, pay attention to changed behavior. What seemed to stick with your employees, and what went over their heads? If you have the answer to that question, you can use that information to change your program for the better.
If you need help gathering this data and developing your program, HR services in Phoenix can help.
Craft the Perfect HR Compliance Training Program
Crafting the perfect HR compliance training program isn’t easy. There’s a wide range of topics that you’ll need to cover.
You’ll also have to implement a reporting system and make your program attention-grabbing.
We hope that you’re able to use the tips you’ve read here today to get your training program up and going. For more business advice, check out the rest of our blog.
