Doing the impossible: how to make compliance training fun

Whenever you say the word ‘compliance’ you can almost hear the eye rolls. For many, it’s an annual exercise in boredom. But there is no doubt that compliance is the most important training for every organisation, so why should it be this way? It’s time to put the fun back into fundamental training.

1. Make it human.

Storytelling plays an integral role in the human experience. Much like fairy tales tell young children to stay away from wolves in the woods, we can apply the same methods to our training. Create people-centric narratives, either using real-world stories or fictional ones to make learners reflect on their own experiences and practices.

2. Practical scenarios.

Reading through the minutiae of laws and regulations will make anyone’s eyes glaze over (unless that’s your thing). Yes, they need to be signposted but we often miss the most important part - why does it matter to the learner? Build scenarios that reflect the real world workplace. Test learners on how they would react to a given situation. Provide the opportunity for them to think about the applications of the law in their job roles.

3. Jazz up your visuals.

White backgrounds with black text. Stock images of people working away in generic office spaces. How many times have we seen that before? Training can and should be visually appealing. Take food safety. Would you rather see dull images of kitchens or glossy, menu-worthy shots of the food it concerns? If you can be visually engaging, that’s half the battle won.

4. Chunk it up.

No one can sustain their concentration through hours of training. Consider spreading the key information across a series of varied and bitesize resources. What works as a video or podcast? What would make a great infographic? Each resource format will engage the brain in a different way, leaving no time for boredom to strike.

5. Don’t be scared of humour.

Sure, not everything is a laughing matter but on the flip side, it doesn’t all need to be stuffy and serious either. If you’re setting your compliance training in a fictional office, try giving the company a punny name. Or you could think about how your visual themes can incorporate pop culture references. The trick is balancing the light with the shade. Life itself is never one or the other.

Making compliance training fun is no easy task but if you want your team to really sit up and take notice, think ‘engagement first’. And that’s exactly what our Compliance Club approach is all about, Get a taster of how we do this by previewing the latest courses from the Compliance Club here.