The key to ethics policy oversight and successful implementation is employee and stakeholder support. When everyone understands the rules, it’s easier to play. However, as companies prioritize ethics policies within their organizations, they sometimes overlook training. Ethics training should be just as important as ethics enforcement. And today, we’re sharing ways your company can improve its ethics training efforts.

Make Your Ethics Training an Ongoing Effort

Employees need ongoing training to reinforce complex layers of ethics guidelines and requirements. For example, scheduling quarterly training sessions would keep staff informed and updated on changes and refresh their minds on pertinent issues. This also serves as a gentle reminder of management’s expectations of each employee, as well as the employee’s understanding of those expectations. Remember, too, that ethics policies and regulations can change. So, ongoing training ensures your teams are routinely briefed on any ethics-related updates.

Include Clear Definitions

Each point of your company’s ethics policy should have clear, concise definitions. Clear and concise definitions are essential for each point of your company’s ethics policy to ensure mutual understanding and adherence among employees. These definitions serve as guiding principles that help employees interpret the policy’s intent and apply it effectively in various contexts. By providing precise definitions, you establish a common language and framework for ethical decision-making within the organization. This clarity helps mitigate ambiguity and reduces the likelihood of misinterpretation or confusion regarding ethical standards and expectations.

Provide Various Communication and Feedback Channels

Employee feedback is vital to positive morale and good customer service. Once employees complete an ethics training session, provide open communication allowing them to follow up with questions and feedback. There’s always room for improvement, and involving the staff in the training curriculum, what works and what needs to be improved can lead to better productivity and performance. There are many different methods of employee feedback and involvement, such as an online survey, brainstorming sessions with a group effort, or a one-on-one meeting with HR or management.

Use Examples and Storytelling in Training

Ethics are complex to understand. And everyone has a story to tell, including ethics training staff. Most managers have been in their position for a while, and that longevity lends itself to thoughtful dialogue and anecdotes applicable to ethics training. Almost every situation can be bolstered by an experience-driven story or example. And oftentimes, it will give good advice and direction to the staff on how to handle a similar situation, making a complex concept more understandable and realistic to teams.

Bring in an Ethics Hotline for Added Ethics Protections

It’s important to have a partner in your corner who is well-versed in developing ethics policies. But it’s equally important to follow through on your efforts to improve ethics training initiatives, as well. Follow these insights to improve ethics awareness with staff. By offering well-thought-out, concise ethics training, you can lay in extra protective measures for an ethical workplace. And Ethical Advocate can help! Reach out to us today to help you customize an ethics policy training or incorporate an ethics hotline for your company.