How to Make Compliance Training in Manufacturing Really Work

For thousands of companies, especially those in highly regulated industries such as manufacturing, adhering to laws and established procedures is essential to ensuring workplace safety and avoiding costly penalties.

Nonetheless, according to a Brandon Hall study, 37 percent of organizations don’t prioritize compliance training. Employers often cite a lack of time and resources or simply don’t know how to make the training process effective. Employees, in turn, often perceive it as a mere formality that isn’t worth spending valuable time on.

Here are some of the reasons why compliance training in manufacturing should be taken seriously:

• Safety and risk mitigation. Employees who are equipped with the knowledge of all the inherent risks that surround them and the correct precautions to follow are more likely to avoid accidents and work-related injuries.

• Regulatory adherence. Manufacturing is subject to stringent local, national, and international regulations. Through comprehensive compliance training, a company safeguards its reputation and avoids costly potential financial penalties.

• Quality assurance. Compliance with laws and industry regulations also ensures that products meet quality standards, thereby reducing defects or recalls and increasing customer satisfaction.

How to Get the Most Out of a Compliance Training Program: 3 Simple Tips

So how can companies make compliance training really matter? To create an effective training program, you must have a deep understanding of both the subject matter (industry specifics, procedures, legal requirements) and the audience, a detailed training plan, and reliable tools at hand. Check out this article to learn more about where to start if you plan to launch manufacturing training.

Here, we’ve compiled three best practices that will help you make compliance training more meaningful:

1. Keep your training concise and dynamic
Let’s face it: compliance training isn’t exactly what people get excited about. Monotonous lectures, exhaustive manuals, and tedious tests come to mind—all of which hinder engagement and knowledge retention. Here’s what you can do to avoid this:

• Provide a mix of different types of content. Include videos, podcasts, infographics, and quizzes in your training program to illustrate complex topics and allow learners to interact with the content.

• Use company-specific case studies. This shows employees the real-world consequences of following or not following compliance rules, making the training more relevant and engaging.

• Focus on the essentials. Filter out extraneous information and only include what’s important. Overwhelming employees with information can be counterproductive and lead to confusion or information fatigue.

• Provide more practice. Give employees the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned through hands-on experience and simulations. This will build up their confidence and ensure that they know what to do when faced with real-world situations.

2. Make training materials accessible anytime
Relying primarily on in-person lectures or bulky printed materials can limit employees’ access to training content. The most convenient and effective way to make training available 24/7 is to use a learning management system (LMS). This allows employees to learn on their own and review topics as needed.

In addition, many LMSs come with mobile apps, so you can make learning even more flexible. With compliance training materials at their fingertips, employees can learn during lunch breaks, on the subway, or while waiting in line.

3. Monitor training progress regularly
This is another area where employee training software surpasses the old-school, in-person learning format. LMS reports allow you to collect and analyze real-time statistics on learner progress, test scores, and engagement levels. This allows you to identify who has successfully completed the training, reveal the most challenging topics, and measure whether the training is achieving its goals so you can fine-tune the program in the future.

This data-driven approach is also invaluable when planning refresher training to ensure employees comply with rules, standards, and policies.

The Final Word

A well-oiled compliance training strategy is the backbone of efficient manufacturing operations and long-term business success. And with robust compliance training software, you can transform mandatory compliance courses from exercises that are merely performed with a checklist approach (just going through the motions) into meaningful learning experiences that promote a safer and more productive workplace.