Logan Voss
Employers in today’s workforce are responsible for the health and safety of their employees, clients, and customers. Employer compliance with employment laws and federal regulations is a major concern, but employee compliance with workplace policies and procedures is another. Compliance refers to the ability to follow, uphold, and stick to set rules or criteria within one’s workplace.
Many forms of compliance exist within a business, including regulatory legislation and internal and external standards set by company management. Non-compliance is dangerous and damaging to employees and clients alike. Fortunately, there are specific ways you can foster a culture of compliance to aid the success of your organization in the long run. Here’s what you need to know to build up a safeguarding workplace culture.
Make Clear-Cut Procedures and Policies
Workplace compliance is not merely a ticking off of boxes on a checklist and hoping for the best. Rather, a culture of compliance is a mindset that develops strategic objectives for the sake of the whole company. Demonstrating suitable compliance procedures and protocols to meet industry standards is helpful, but keep in mind the whole picture.
Ensure first and foremost that any written policies and procedures are user-friendly, accessible, and generally comprehensible. Then, consider what a compliant working environment actually looks like in your organization. What steps are necessary to get there? Do your policies strongly support your overall values and mission? Provide your staff with a deeper reason to foster a compliance culture.
Commit To Quality Leadership
A foundation of strong leadership is fundamental for encouraging a culture of compliance from the top down. One of the key responsibilities of leaders in the workplace is to ensure the provision and maintenance of a safe and respectful environment within an office, building, or facility. A high level of commitment by company leadership to uphold codes of conduct and ethics remains critical for sustainable success. Effective compliance programs are only possible with appropriate modeling as an example.
Evaluate Compliance Mistakes
Of the various ways you can foster a culture of compliance, evaluating past compliance mistakes for improvement is at the top of the list. Ignoring or dismissing such mistakes leaves no room for growth and comprehension. Employers cannot expect staff trust or respect when they do not share the same stance.
In fact, placing sole fault on an individual is one of the most common workplace misconceptions about safety. Typical safety issues are often more deeply systemic than individualistic. Thoroughly analyzing and assessing mishaps or situations calling for concern is an efficient approach to prevent the same mistakes from happening again. Numerous violations tend to indicate a pressing need for policy modification. The ability to adapt to changing circumstances and communicate standards succinctly radically takes your compliance program to the next level.
