e-Learning Blog

Compliance means "observance of laws and regulations" in Japanese, but it does not simply mean avoiding violations of laws.
Beyond obeying laws, it covers a wide range including actions that do not violate ethical standards or social justice, as well as adhering to internal rules and operational manuals.
Specifically,

・Do not violate laws related to companies (Commercial Code, Companies Act, Civil Code, Tax Law, Labor Standards Act, Unfair Competition Prevention Act, Power Harassment Prevention Act, etc.)
・Eliminate transactions with antisocial forces and consider the environment
・Fulfill social responsibilities such as contributing to the local community

These are some examples.
For employees, it also includes prohibitions against forcing excessive labor and harassment.
Additionally, employees must not

・Carelessly leaking personal information to external parties
・Engaging in actions that damage the corporate image
・Distributing information (videos or comments) about such actions outside the company

must not be done.
In other words, even corporate activities conducted within the bounds of the law are considered compliance violations if they go against social justice or involve means or actions that contradict ethical values.

Traditional compliance violations were rarely covered by the media or condemned by society as long as they did not break the law.
However, the standards for social justice and ethical values have significantly changed over time, and their scope continues to expand.
Cases of compliance violations committed unknowingly by everyone from corporate executives to general employees are increasing.
Moreover, nowadays anyone can easily post inappropriate videos or comments on social media, and once posted, they can be easily known outside the company.
Regarding the wide range of compliance violations, if compliance education is not provided to all employees about what kind of caution is necessary, the risk of developing into a major problem increases.
Relying solely on employees’ voluntary morals is not sufficient for risk avoidance.
It is important for the company to clearly define what constitutes a compliance violation and what must not be done, and for all employees to recognize and share this information.

Companies that strictly comply with compliance are socially recognized as sound companies, which enhances their corporate brand value.
Through compliance education, it is possible to prevent inappropriate behavior by all employees within the company or to detect and correct such situations early, thereby preventing or minimizing the impact on management.
Examples of compliance violations include,

・Falsified financial statements, tax evasion, and private use of company expenses
・Leakage of personal information and corporate confidential information
・Insider trading
・Neglect of inappropriate labor practices violating labor laws
・Harassment such as power harassment and sexual harassment

and others.
Causing these problems can result in liability for damages, administrative sanctions, or criminal charges.
As a result, the trust of stakeholders related to the company, such as consumers and business partners, is lost, causing significant negative impacts on business and potentially leading to bankruptcy risk.

Compliance education is also greatly involved in fostering organizational trustworthiness and a healthy corporate culture. Here, we introduce the main purposes of conducting this education.

By each employee correctly understanding laws and internal rules, it is possible to prevent fraudulent acts and troubles before they occur. As a result, this leads to avoiding a decline in corporate trust and management risks.

Ethical awareness forms the foundation for considering "what constitutes correct behavior" in business decisions. Through compliance education, employees' moral consciousness is raised, promoting sincere actions.

Sharing and acquiring the basic rules of being a working adult is effective even for issues that may arise in daily work, such as tardiness and harassment. Through education, a common understanding is formed within the workplace.

By correctly understanding the impact on the company when a violation occurs (such as legal sanctions or a decline in social trust), each individual becomes more aware of the risks and is more likely to choose actions that prevent trouble.

Companies that thoroughly enforce compliance gain stronger trust from business partners, customers, shareholders, and others. As a result, it is expected to have a positive effect on business expansion and recruitment activities.

In this way, compliance education not only protects the organization but also contributes to creating a workplace where each employee can work with peace of mind.

Compliance education is not an end in itself; what is important is how the acquired knowledge can be applied in actions. This chapter explains practical points for making compliance education successful.

Consider the "timing" and "themes" for conducting training according to the ever-changing social conditions and organizational circumstances. For example, good timing includes the start of a new fiscal year, after legal revisions, or immediately following reports of scandals within your company or industry. It is also important to adjust the themes according to the hierarchy of the participants.

Deepening understanding is achieved by output activities such as "explaining in your own words" and "discussing" what you have learned. Utilizing mini-tests, worksheets, and case studies in e-learning also helps information stick in memory more effectively.

Simply conveying abstract rules and regulations does not lead to actual behavior. By using real cases tailored to each person's work and position and thinking about "how you would judge in that situation," practical understanding can be gained.

Laws and regulations are regularly revised. Also, since knowledge is difficult to retain through a one-time training session, it is advisable to conduct regular training sessions at least once a year and incorporate follow-up measures to assess retention (such as quizzes or retaking e-learning courses). It is important to cultivate an organizational culture that habitually and consistently bases compliance awareness on the latest information.

Rather than merely going through the motions of education, devising ways to make learners think about "how to apply it to their own actions" greatly influences the effectiveness of compliance training. Furthermore, continuously reviewing and improving the content and methods of education is also a key to success.

Compliance education is necessary for all employees, including executive management.

The concept of compliance covers a wide range and changes over time. Conducting appropriate compliance education in-house through group training requires considerable effort. Therefore, how about considering implementation via e-learning? With e-learning, individuals can study effectively on their own, enabling learning that surpasses group training.

E-learning refers to a method of learning various content primarily using computers and the internet. Compared to group training, it offers many advantages as outlined below.

As long as you have an internet connection and a device such as a computer, you can learn at your own pace, anytime and anywhere. Depending on the material, microlearning methods that break down content into short segments of 5 or 10 minutes can be used for effective learning, and it is also possible to repeatedly study the same content as many times as you like afterward.

There is no variation in training content depending on the instructor. The same quality of education is provided to all participants. Additionally, since the materials are digital data, they are easier to revise compared to paper materials such as texts, allowing timely education based on the latest information. With narration and video explanations, education that is as effective as or more effective than group training is also possible.

By incorporating the materials into an LMS, the progress and test results of all participants can be automatically processed and managed.

Even if there are many learners or they are scattered, there is no need to gather them in one place or arrange a venue. Additionally, costs such as instructor travel expenses, printing and mailing of materials, and venue fees can be reduced, making it more cost-effective compared to in-person training.

This article introduced the reasons why compliance education is important for corporate management and e-learning, which enables effective education in today's diverse working styles such as telework. Some providers of LMS and educational materials also offer trial options.

> Compliance Measures Undertaken by Companies <Basic Knowledge Edition>
> Compliance Measures Undertaken by Companies <Case Studies Edition>

Compliance in companies is not simply about "legal compliance"; it is a fundamental attitude to protect trust within society and organizations. This article has provided a detailed explanation of its meaning, the necessity and purpose of compliance education, and key points to lead it to success.

In recent years, education through e-learning has been introduced by many companies as a tool that can be implemented regardless of location or time. It is also effective as a means to acquire knowledge more effectively and efficiently in compliance education.

At Human Science, we offer a variety of services to help customers introduce and operate e-learning. Additionally, we plan and produce compliance training materials. If you have any concerns, please feel free to contact us.

You can check the details of the services on Human Science's e-learning site.

> E-learning Content Production