What If Compliance Training was More Like a Marketing Campaign?

Recent ‘memory’ research shows that students forget 70% of what we teach within 24 hours of a training event.  This is part of a concept called the ‘Forgetting Curve’ where over a period of given time you forget things that your brain determines as no longer useful. (Learning Solutions Magazine) That is a daunting thought if you are a compliance trainer knowing that many core compliance principles will be forgotten within 24 hours. How can you create a “Culture of Compliance” if your employees tend to forget what they are being taught around critical compliance subjects?

The key is to counteract the “Forgetting Curve” with a comprehensive approach to compliance training. I believe marketing understands the Forgetting Curve very well. It is a basic marketing principle that it takes 7 to 13 ‘touches’ before someone will internalize and/or act upon a call to action.  That is why you see a variety of marketing touch points delivered over a period of time during a marketing campaign.

If compliance training was more like a marketing campaign, designed to influence the audience to change behaviors, an Anti-bribery/FCPA training campaign would look like the following:

1. Anti-bribery/FCPA Compliance Overview Course (10-15 Min., Week 1)
2. Gifts and Hospitality Compliance Reminder video – targeted workplace scenario video (90 sec., Week 2)
3. Quick Entry Fees Compliance Reminder video – targeted workplace scenario video (90 sec., Week 3)
4. Records & Reporting Compliance Reminder video – targeted workplace scenario video (90 sec.,, Week 4)
5. Anti-bribery/FCPA workplace scenario webinar – targeted workplace scenario video (20 Min., Week 5)
6. Government Officials Compliance Reminder video – targeted workplace scenario video (90 sec.,, Week 6)
7. UK Anti-bribery Act Compliance Reminder video – targeted workplace scenario video (90 sec., Week 7)
8. Non-Retaliation Compliance Reminder video – targeted workplace scenario video (90 sec., Week 8)

In just 8 short compliance training touch-points over a short period of time your employees will know about your Anti-bribery/FCPA policy. Notice that the reminder content is less than 90 seconds with a 20 minute webinar in the middle of the reminder campaign.  If your reminder videos are well produced, short, and relevant employees will more likely view the content.

This type of training program also shows the DOJ and SEC that you have a robust compliance training program rather than a simply a stated policy and a “once and done’ training program.

There are many other touch points you could add to your Anti-bribery/FCPA training campaign such as, employee desk-drops (Post Cards), compliance posters in hallways and break-rooms, Lunch and Learn sessions, presentations for managers and ‘quick start’ brochures.  They all help remind employees and create the culture of compliance that government regulations require.

How many compliance touch points do your employees get on a compliance subject like Anti-bribery/FCPA?

If you are wonder what a Compliance Reminder video is, below is a Data Privacy reminder video: