In my previous blog post, “What’s the Real Problem with Compliance Training?” I discussed how compliance training focuses more on completion rates rather than learning, retaining and changing behavior. This blog will go further to investigate why some organizations are cautious about tracking additional metrics beyond record completion.

My discussions with anti-harassment training providers provide a useful example. On one hand, the data from their learning exercises are incredibly important and insightful. Does the risk of what is portrayed – particularly the risk of information being discoverable – limit the ability to distribute and visualize results in a meaningful way?

This too often means the focus on training reverts back to meeting the mandated training requirements which are completion rates of an eLearning course on a compliance topic versus achieving the desired outcomes. Achieving this “check the box” outcome completely misses the intent of the requirements for anti-harassment training, which is to create an organizational culture intolerant of harassment in all forms. The purpose of the mandate is to change behavior in order to create a better workplace free of harassment.

Why Proficiency Data Matters

Imagine defending yourself in a legal action where you can demonstrate that you are using meaningful data to improve your training and outcomes to build a culture intolerant of harassment. It is possible to accomplish this with microlearning because it allows learners to engage in compliance training content. Manager visibility into the training exercise helps them coach individuals in targeted ways about the importance of a harassment-free environment. Having access to data on initial proficiency levels and showing improvement in proficiency over time is much more valuable data than recording completion.

Being armed with proficiency data gives you clarity into each individual's knowledge on different compliance subjects and it helps identify knowledge gaps that allow you to stay ahead of compliance risks in a timely manner. Furthermore, data that identifies the individuals who are struggling with the training allows you to have targeted coaching conversations on the specific areas they need to improve on. If managers have the data beforehand to stay ahead of compliance risks, they can avoid compliance violations and costs. Even training instructors can use this data to figure out what specific areas they should focus their time and money on for future compliance training needs.

Using data-driven insights to help create an organizational culture intolerant of harassment, can make it very rare -- and that’s the best protection against liability.

Qstream’s microlearning solution provides managers with heatmaps and dashboards that include all the necessary information managers need to better understand their employees' skills and knowledge gaps. Measuring proficiency does more than help managers make sense of training results. It informs them where they can focus on individual coaching efforts and guides management in shaping adaptive learning programs. Having this data allows managers to make an immediate impact on employee performance — rather than when it’s too late and waiting for mid-year reviews, employee support surveys, or other forms of evaluation.

The granularity of microlearning permits learning program managers and administrators to analyze and report on learning data at a much more detailed level. This real-time portrait of individual and team proficiency against performance and productivity data is invaluable for applying learning to the performance of the business.

Your compliance training programs need to be a continuous program that will create awareness for employees on important compliance matters. Making it an engaging and enjoyable learning experience will help create a positive mindset toward compliance training. In return, it will provide valuable data for managers to take action while creating a healthy organizational culture. Do you want better compliance measurements to improve results? Learn more or see a demo of Qstream microlearning.