Several years ago, I had hardly heard of the term “Compliance”. The subject seemed pretty abstract and even boring to me, at first sight.
Since then, I have discovered that there is so much more to Compliance than just “following the rules”. I have seen many examples of (very) boring Compliance communications, but I have also seen how Compliance can be made simple, relevant and even “fun” for your audience, which I try to achieve every day in my job as a Compliance Officer look at these guys.
How to make Compliance simple, fun and relevant?
Let me give you some tips, based on what I recently did for a Compliance Day event, which I organized for Makro/Metro in The Netherlands and Belgium.
Tip 1: Make Compliance known to everyone
Compliance Day was all about creating awareness. So I made a basic flyer with a short description of the company’s 8 Business Principles. I made sure that every Makro and Metro employee in The Netherlands and Belgium received this flyer.
I personally handed out the flyers to all employees in the headquarters and asked all department managers to do the same in the stores. It provoked thoughts and discussions about what “Compliance” means in the everyday business of all employees.
Tip 2: Make it stick
People remember a message better if it is delivered with some humor.
Instead of the usual “Caution: slippery when wet” sign, I placed a “Caution: Compliance” sign in the hallway, warning people for a “slippery slope”.
I also placed an inviting sign on all coffee machines with the text: “Hot Issue? Contact your Compliance Officer for a cup of coffee at (…)” s1jzpjc.
There was also a special “Compliance Day” lunch menu in all staff canteens.
Would you like some “Transparant Business” soup? Or do you have more appetite for “Spaghetti of Rules”, “Red Alert” smoothie or a “Hot Topic” pizza slice? It surely led to turning heads and smiles at lunch time.
Do something that people do not expect, and the message sticks better.
Tip 3: Engage!
Use humor with caution: bad jokes or humor that is misunderstood can be a disaster for your message. Timing and dosis are everything.
Luckily, the canteen staff were all very enthusiastic about the Compliance lunch ideas, and some even made their own creative lunch inventions! Most importantly, many employees were curious about the flyers and the lunch menu, and Compliance was the “hot topic” of the day.
What are your compliance tips?
What are your tips for making Compliance messages stick? Please let me know in a comment below.
