
Are we hypocrites for creating modules?
“So, if you guys love operationalization so much, why do you have training modules?” Great question. Let’s talk about it.
It seems a bit duplicitous for us to scream “operationalize” from the rooftops and then create modules, right? But there is actually a method to our madness. That’s because any change in the way compliance is done is going to take time, and you need steps on the path to make it stick. Sometimes you just need to keep doing things in a way that you don’t love because not everyone is on your wavelength—yet. Our modules, particularly the annual training module, were made to help you start winning over those naysayers. And that’s why they’re the best modules you’ll ever use!
Let’s get into our why, how best to use them, and—most importantly—how to work toward never needing them ever again. 🛑
First things first: Do you really need an annual training module? No.
Obvs, we are huge fans of compliance training (duh) and doing it on a regular basis. What we don’t subscribe to is the idea that training requires an all-employee, mandatory, formal annual course. Why do we think this way?
- The timing is arbitrary and disconnected from what people actually do. ⏳
- Anything that applies to everyone is too high-level to really address risk. 🫠
- The amount of content is impossible for any human to internalize and, importantly, apply. 🌀
Even worse than that, mandatory, annual training reinforces the belief that compliance is not part of someone’s job, but a check-the-box activity they have to suffer through. And, adding insult to injury, the more money you throw at annual training (gamification!) the more it will look like an internal exercise instead of a serious effort at helping people be compliant. Because even with all of the flash and pop, it still signals “just get it done so we can say everyone did it.”
Caveat: I get that there are some of you out there who will say, “But my regulator makes me do a formal, once-a-year course!” If that’s the case, I fully understand: I was there once, too, and it stinks. This is really for those E&C pros who don’t have an annual check-the-box legal requirement, but who haven’t yet gotten past the influences of the “best practices” crowd.
Why we have it anyway.
It’s simple: When you’re working toward change, you still need to choose your battles.
It’s like stopping a fast-moving train. Pumping an entire industry’s brakes on annual modules and the like is taking time. Any of you who’ve been in this industry for a hot minute know that.
Source: TravisBand on Giphy.com
In fact, if this blog feels a little familiar, it should. Our founder, Ricardo Pellafone, wrote about this when Broadcat first dropped an annual module … way back in 2017! I read it then and re-read it before writing this. Sadly the roadblocks are largely the same. 🚧 That’s why I wanted to revisit this topic and update some bits that need a refresh after eight years.
Ultimately, however, Ricardo’s point about why Broadcat has modules continues to ring true: “Not because we’re hedging on operationalization, but because we’re all-in on making operationalization actually happen—and that means giving you a bridge from here to there.”
Our module is still the best version ever.
(Cheat code: If you’re ready to get rid of annual training now, you can skip this section. Scroll down to the last point: “Wonder trio powers activate!")
We’ve preserved enough of our annual training module’s traditional look and feel so you can confidently say, “Hey, we’re not changing everything.” But what you won’t see now—and didn’t see then—is all the bloat that makes “traditional” annual compliance training just the worst.
Here’s a sneak peek:
At first glance, you’ll see that it looks enough like annual compliance training modules you’ve seen before, or maybe even built yourself. This will help you slow-walk the transition to operationalization for any stakeholders who have heartburn about it. But here are the key differences—and why this is absolutely the best ever:
- It’s short.
It’s not just short for short’s sake. It’s short because we took a hard look at what everyone at the company really needs to know—and stripped the module down to that.
It kicks off with a little of the values/ethics/leadership stuff (for all those everyone-else-has-this-so-it’s-got-to-be-there types), and then gets right to the heart of what actually applies to everyone:
- What the Code is and when to use it 📜
- How to find and use the Helpline ☎️
- How to tell you when something’s just … off (aka disclosures or incident reporting) 🐢
Ya know: the basic risk stuff that applies to everyone, grouped into buckets and articulated in a way that matches an employee’s responsibilities.
All-in, this should cut down the time for annual training to about 10-15 minutes, which isn’t just a vanity metric! Shorter annual training saves your business money. How so? Employees are getting paid to sit through your training. Let’s do the math…
Source: Disney’s DuckTales via Giphy.com
According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data, employee cost-per-hour still sits at around $50 (not even going to get into how frustrating it is that this number hasn’t really changed in eight years). If you can cut 30 minutes of bloat, you just saved $25 per employee. 💰
- Got 5,000 employees? You just saved $125,000.
- 10,000? You saved a quarter of a mil.
- 25,000 employees gets you $625,000.
I don’t know about you, but I’m fairly sure walking into your CEO’s office and saying, “Hey, I can save us six figures,” is going to get her attention!
2. It’s self-paced.Really, “10-15 minutes” is just a range. (After it was created, we asked one of our designers to take our annual training module. It only took her nine minutes, but we’re padding a bit to keep things honest. ⏱️) The actual time will be person-specific, exactly how it should be.
Stop trying to manage to the lowest common denominator by forcing people to slow down with games or clicks. The bad employees will ignore you anyway, so you’ll just frustrate those who want to comply. Just like you can lead a horse to water but can’t make it drink, you can only reach employees who want to learn in the first place.
But, here’s the good news: Don’t forget that your training is just one of the tools in your toolbox (seven elements, amirite!). Use controls, monitoring, audits, investigations, and discipline to manage those employees who are not going to be swayed by a training module no matter how awesome it is. 😉
3. It’s be-sci based (ish).
For those of you who’ve been following along for a while now, you know we strive to make all our materials with a strong behavioral science and learning theory base. 🤓 But because this module must also serve a tactical need—having it look like what people expect of annual training—it can only get so close. That said, it’s not completely devoid of science! Let’s talk about working memory.
The concept of working memory recognizes that someone can only hold so many pieces of information in their head at a time. 🧠 The rub is that even our anti-bloat annual training has too much substantive risk stuff. The limit for most of us is about 4 to 7 pieces of info. Even if you’re on the higher end of that spectrum, our hot take is that most of your wider employee base is not.
Don’t misunderstand: This isn’t an indictment of anyone or saying you should “dumb things down.” Quite the contrary! I’m saying that because we’re human, we can only hold so much at one time—so don’t try to make us. It won't work. Remember that seven-elements toolbox? An annual training module is just ONE of the many training and communications tools you have available to you. Because of that, the information you choose to include in the module should be hyper-focused and then reinforced using those other tools.
But what about my substantive stuff?
If you’re thinking, “But what about all the other risks that you didn’t put into the module?”, then it’s time for another hot take: Your annual compliance training can’t handle your big risks. 🚩
Any training you expect everyone to take is going to be too high-level to address your biggest risks. You need to think hard about what keeps you up at night, who does those things, and then create specific training on how to do those things compliantly. Then, give that training only to them. For example, if you’re a bank, your marketing team probably doesn’t need to learn how to spot AML red flags, so don’t give them those deep cuts.
Is this going to take more time, effort, and work on your part? Yep. But this is the right work. You'll end up training your seriously risky people on your seriously risky business processes more often, but that will be more useful for them than a single-shot, super broad annual training.
Need more convincing? We wrote a book on it. If this is the first time you’ve seen it, take some time and read up.
Don't I need to test them?
Now, if you’re thinking “quiz,” I beg of you … stop, back away slowly, then turn around, and run. Run fast and far, far away.
Hakuna matata! | Source: Disney’s The Lion King via tenor.com
Quizzes do nothing but give you a vanity metric—even more so if it’s impossible to fail! Remember: You’re using an employee’s valuable time, and that time is money to your company (and that's NOT a vanity metric!).
Instead of a quiz, give them something valuable that reinforces what you just told them, like a simple knowledge check or the companion one-pager we have coupled with the module. ⭐
If you’re still committed to modules, this training is seriously very good and you should use it as a base to start building your operationalized toolbox. Let's look at what’s included in the course, and how you can build out comms that are more useful and operational.
Wonder trio powers activate!
If your module is slim and trim with three targeted sections (remember those bullet points under Item 1?) 🎯, or if you used the cheat code and jumped here: Congratulations! You’ve formally said “goodbye” to traditional training thinking! Regardless of whether you do annual training, let’s look at how to transform those three module sections into strong comms!
- Code: Turn the concepts from your Code into low-touch, high-frequency awareness campaigns that push employees to reference that important foundational document. Try a series of internal social posts that describe “how to do stuff” under the Code. This reinforces your org’s values while helping employees leverage the Code in their day-to-day work lives.
- Helpline: Take the mystery out of speaking up and try a flowchart describing how the helpline investigation process works. We’re not talking about specific case outcomes—just the way things move from a first report to a final resolution. This reassures your team that they will be taken seriously and shows how your org takes action.
- Disclosures: Cozy up and create stories about situations when conflicts can create problems—like adding vendors into your system, making a hiring decision, or issuing a PO or a contract. When they can connect concrete examples to the moment when they have to certify that their disclosure statement is up-to-date, they will be really confident about that answer.
You’ve done the hard work. Now, make it work for you by putting these comms on repeat. One-time shots are not enough. Getting these messages into heavy rotation will make them super sticky.
Change is hard.
OK, we get it. Challenging the status quo can elicit strong reactions—you’re probably feeling exhausted just thinking about it, and the folks establishing the status quo will probably give you some very … assertive … pushback. Criticism and disagreement are good until they’re deconstructive, so if you’re feeling like you need a little extra support in pitching a trimmed-down annual training (or no training at all!) to the powers that be, we’re here to help. Connect with us and let’s talk it out.