10 Powerful Strategies to Boost Employee Compliance 

Ensuring that employees comply with company policies is a common challenge faced by many organizations. For example, despite implementing strict security protocols, employees might ignore multi-factor authentication, leaving the company vulnerable to breaches. In another case, an organization may have clear data-handling policies, but employees may inadvertently mishandle customer data, leading to costly regulatory violations.

These issues can result in severe consequences, such as data breaches, legal penalties, and damage to the company's reputation. By applying the following strategies, you can significantly boost employee compliance, minimize risks, and create a culture of accountability.

The benefits of boosting employee compliance go beyond avoiding penalties. It enhances security, reduces legal and financial risks, and ensures that employees align with organizational goals. Ultimately, companies that focus on compliance foster trust and ensure smoother operations.

1. Educate and Train Users Regularly

A key factor in boosting employee compliance is providing employees with the knowledge they need to follow policies. Without proper training, employees may not fully understand the importance of these policies or how to implement them in their daily work.

Regular training sessions - whether through workshops, online courses, or webinars - are essential for keeping employees informed and compliant. For example, training on cybersecurity best practices can reduce phishing incidents, while privacy training ensures that employees handle customer data correctly. Make training mandatory and include assessments to verify that employees understand the material.

2. Simplify Policies for Better Understanding

Complicated, jargon-heavy policies can confuse employees, leading to unintentional non-compliance. To boost employee compliance, organizations must simplify policies and communicate them in a clear, straightforward manner. Avoid technical or legal language that could be difficult for non-experts to understand.

Breaking policies down into step-by-step guides or providing visual aids can help employees easily grasp what is expected of them. For example, a simplified Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) for technology should include clear examples of acceptable and unacceptable behaviour when using company resources like email and the internet.

3. Leverage Technology to Automate Compliance Monitoring

Using technology to automate compliance monitoring is one of the most effective ways to boost employee compliance. Automated tools can track employee actions, such as who has accessed sensitive information or whether they have completed required training. These tools not only monitor compliance but also identify potential violations in real-time, helping managers intervene before issues escalate. 

For instance, if you are storing your policies in SharePoint, tools like DocRead help you monitor and report compliance in real-time, saving you time and reducing the need for manual audits.

4. Foster a Culture of Accountability

To truly boost employee compliance, it’s essential to create a culture where accountability is valued. This culture starts from the top - when leadership consistently follows policies and emphasizes their importance, employees are more likely to follow suit.

Encourage managers and department heads to regularly check in with their teams to ensure compliance and lead by example. In organizations where accountability is part of the culture, employees are more likely to take responsibility for their actions, knowing that non-compliance will be noticed and addressed.

5. Use Clear Consequences for Non-Compliance

Employees need to understand that there are consequences for failing to comply with policies. Clearly outlining these consequences helps enforce the importance of compliance. Consequences can range from additional training to disciplinary action or even restricted access to systems, depending on the severity of the non-compliance.

For example, if an employee repeatedly ignores data privacy protocols, they might lose access to certain systems until they complete refresher training. By consistently applying these consequences, organizations can boost employee compliance and ensure that policies are taken seriously.

6. Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

A key strategy for minimizing non-compliance is ensuring that employees only have access to the data and systems necessary for their specific role. Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) limits access based on job function, which reduces the likelihood of unauthorized data access or accidental violations.

For instance, a marketing team member should not have the same access to sensitive financial data as someone in the finance department. By limiting access to only what employees need, organizations can boost compliance by reducing opportunities for errors or intentional misuse of information.

7. Regularly Review and Update Policies

Policies should not be static documents. As regulations evolve and business needs change, so too should your organizational policies. Regularly reviewing and updating policies ensures they remain relevant, actionable, and aligned with current industry standards. This is critical to boost employee compliance as outdated policies can lead to confusion or unintentional violations.

A best practice is to schedule annual policy reviews and involve legal or compliance experts in the process to ensure that your organization remains compliant with new regulations or changes in the law.

8. Create Incentives for Compliance

Incentives are a powerful motivator when it comes to boosting employee compliance. Rewarding employees who consistently follow policies can reinforce positive behavior and encourage others to do the same.

These incentives can range from public recognition during meetings to tangible rewards like bonuses or extra vacation days. For example, an organization could create a compliance leaderboard, where employees or departments that consistently meet compliance standards receive rewards or recognition.

9. Provide Feedback Mechanisms

Employees are often the best source of information when it comes to understanding where policies might be unclear or difficult to follow. By offering feedback mechanisms, such as anonymous surveys or open Q&A sessions, organizations can gain valuable insights into the challenges employees face in complying with certain policies.

This feedback helps leaders address any confusion or obstacles, ultimately boosting employee compliance by making it easier for employees to follow the rules.

10. Conduct Regular Compliance Audits

Regular audits are essential to identify gaps in compliance and address them before they become larger issues. Audits can be conducted internally or through third-party services, and they should focus on key areas such as data security, training completion rates, and adherence to critical policies.

By conducting quarterly or biannual compliance audits, organizations can stay on top of compliance efforts and quickly rectify any issues. These audits not only help boost employee compliance but also demonstrate a proactive approach to policy enforcement, which is essential during regulatory reviews or external audits.

By applying these 10 strategies, your organization can create an environment where users understand, respect, and follow company policies. The result is a safer, more efficient business that minimizes risks and fosters a culture of accountability and trust. 

If you are storing your policies in SharePoint then we are here to help you.