At the onset of designing your Code of Conduct? Here are 7 factors you need to ponder on before you really set in!
As known, a well-drafted and designed Code of Conduct (CoC) training course is the prime focus of an effective compliance program.It supports a good social and professional culture by laying out specific guidelines on how employees are expected to act at their workplace. If you want your employees to follow the CoC and comply with it completely, you need to consider some factors while designing it. Let us see what they are!
Does your Code of Conduct e-learning course include a message from the top?
No matter how well-designed your online compliance course is, it cannot be effectively implemented unless there is a message from your top management. A message from one of the members of the executive leadership team directs employees to understand the importance of the compliance and ethics program. When they hear it coming from the top management, they feel compelled to follow that.Moreover, when a new hire goes through the CoC course and notes the presence of a high-level executive in it, he feels motivated to pursue it.
Is it simple to read and understand for employees at all levels?
You need to ensure your CoC e-learning course simplifies the complex legalese that compliance training programs come with. All your employees, irrespective of their cadre, need to comprehend the essence of your CoC. For that, you need to keep your course’s tone democratic as a dictatorial tone may hurt the employees ‘esteem. This will also remove gaps, if any, between the employer and the employee. For instance, use words such as “we”, “us”, etc. so that employees understand the CoC is applicable for all hierarchies of the organization.
Does it explain lucidly, employee behavior that is acceptable/not acceptable?
When you want your employees to know which behavior is acceptable and which is not, you can take the positive route. This means, you need to talk about the acceptable behavior only. For instance, if you are training your employees on IT safety and security compliance,instead of conveying them that confidential data should not be leaked, you can state that everyone in the organization should ensure the confidentiality of information.
Does it lay down clearly your company’s processes and rules?
While designing your CoC e-learning course, you should ensure it prominently states the company’s processes and rules.An engaging course doesn’t just state the rules and regulations, but presents them in an intriguing way using various interactivities, simulations and more. Also, the course can be designed based on the preferred method of delivery of your employees. For instance, if your employees are inclined more towards the scenario-based approach, then the CoC course can include scenarios, stories or case studies. This will improve your employee retention as well as make it more learner-centric.
Does it complement your compliance policy requirements?
You need to design your compliance and ethics program around your company values.
Communicating your values clearly is essential. You should offer a lucid picture of how the CoCe-learning course helps them understand ethical behavior at the workplace, rather than offering them a monotonous list of do and don’ts.
Is it customized to your company’s culture and terminology?
As known, every organization has a culture it adheres to. So you need to ensure your online CoC compliance program follows that culture and terminology. Too much legalese can overload the course and make it difficult for your employees to comprehend. It is important that you include ethical jargonand references right through the course so that the course is customized to suit your organization’s training needs.
Does it cater to your global employees?
Do you think your global employees can understand your online CoC training course if it has colloquialism? I am sure they will not. Hence you need to ensure you keep your CoC course free of localized language as it can lead to hurdles while translating the course. For example, you roll out a course in the U.S. but a twin of your course may not be effective in the other part of the globe, where your colloquialism fails to deliver.
Just ask yourself these seven simple questions and if your answers to these questions are in the affirmative, you have nothing to lose. Your Code of Conduct e-learning course rocks!
