Train Supervisors & Managers To Take Compliance Training Seriously

(Published October 24, 2006)

When you mention employment compliance training to managers and supervisors, do their eyes glaze over? Do they start yawning? Not many companies can boast of having supervisors that jump at compliance training opportunities. While you may not be able to make your managers look forward to the training, you can help make them appreciate it. Giving them the old "lawsuit prevention" rationale isn't enough. You need to answer what's in it for them.

• Hit them in their wallets. Connect the dots for them from the expense of fighting a legal complaint to the hit on the company's bottom line to the smaller pot from which raises and bonuses come. 
• Hit them in their wallets, again. In some cases, they may be held personally liable, and won't be able to hide behind company coffers. 
• Hit them in their wallets, yet again. Non-compliant supervisors (whether they violate the law themselves, or they fail to keep their employees in line) should face termination — the permanent loss of paychecks from your firm. 
• Save their time. If they think the time spent in training is inconvenient, tell them to think about how much more time they could lose if a lawsuit hits the fan. They could spend more time explaining to legal counsel what happened to spark the suit and erecting a defense; they could be called to testify in court; their department may be further disrupted if employees are called to testify in court. 
• Show them what they don't know. Reading up on laws' requirements, restrictions, obligations, and prohibitions is one thing; applying the provisions in real life is another. An effective training program captures both the letter and the spirit of the law, which will equip managers to handle those gray areas that create the most trouble.

Related Topic(s): Training