Jacob Broderick

The writing is on the wall: remote work is, for the foreseeable future, a fortunate option that many employers are able to offer amid the COVID-19 public health crisis. And yet as state and federal agencies call on businesses across the nation to support the necessary infrastructure to move employees online, many are scrambling to implement inclusive and effective contingency plans. One of the first steps in planning for remote work should be moving as many physical and in-person elements online as soon as possible. 

Many companies rely on in-person workplace training to remain compliant across state and local sexual harassment prevention training and anti-discrimination mandates. At best, it can be inconvenient, may lead to a need to retrain to keep up with ever-changing compliance mandates, and often lacks an educational approach grounded in research and best-practices. At worst, it’s vulnerable to disruption, as many organizations have seen from the COVID-19 crisis. Whether it’s part of a preexisting company initiative, or as a response to the current crisis, it’s time to move your workplace compliance training online to keep your corporate culture grounded and stay compliant.

Compliance 

In the wake of #MeToo, as more and more states outline increasingly thorough mandates on what sort of content training must include, online compliance training offers an all-in-one, future-proof compliance solution. When laws change, new content can be “pushed” out like software updates, and profile selector technology can save and record an employee’s location and display only the federal, state, and local law content most relevant to them. 

Online training isn’t one-size-fits-all, though: opportunities for customization, like adding company policies, messaging, and video content help infuse your workplace culture into the experience. Online platforms are nimble enough to meet ever-changing updates at scale without sacrificing individualized learning, and in a way that does not require retraining employees every time new legislation is enacted.

Flexibility

In an age of hectic commutes, long hours, and dizzying schedules, employees need training that doesn’t rely on in-person classroom settings; online training offers an antidote to our frenetic work lives. Mobile-first technology ensures employees have the option to complete training on the go – wherever, whenever, eliminating the need to be in a traditional workplace setting, a feature more relevant now than ever.

Several states now require one hour or more of training time, but save-your-place settings allow employees to start and stop training, so it’s more convenient for them to encourage learning and completion at their own pace. Online compliance training allows employees to break multiple, lengthy trainings into chunks of time that work best for them while still meeting their requirements. 

Effectiveness

Research now suggests that reframing workplace training with a prevention approach is far more effective than long lists of what not to do, or hypothetical situations that portray extreme behaviors that most employees would never engage in. Prevention-based training couples best practices and current research to upskill employees on respectful behaviors, inclusive practices, and the knowledge of how to effectively intervene when problems arise. 

In-person training caters to a handful of the most motivated and attentive employees, while online training offers experiential, real-to-life scenarios, and thought-provoking moments for self-reflection to engage all employees. 

As your organization works to develop contingency plans and remote-friendly business functions amid the current crisis, consider strengthening your compliance efforts by offering online training solutions that are convenient, flexible in an ever-changing legal landscape, and effective at promoting a strong workplace culture for all of your employees.