7 Compliance Training Mistakes (and Fixes)

Actionable solutions to common pitfalls in compliance training design

MISTAKE #1:

Irrelevant content

The first of the seven biggest compliance training mistakes is irrelevant content. Many organizations opt for a one-size-fits-all approach to try and cover all their regulatory bases. As a result, employers assign courses “just in case” and require employees to complete courses that don’t actually apply to their roles.

While this approach might seem like a safe way to ensure full compliance coverage, it introduces new risks. Employees are quick to disengage from training that isn’t relevant to them, which can lead them to overlook the information that actually matters.

Last year, we had to take the generic 'state employee' course, which was almost entirely about preventing corruption in public contract bidding… My job has nothing to do with public contract bidding.

The Employee Perspective

How to improve training relevance

Fix #1: Create personalized, mix-and-match learning paths

Break compliance training into smaller, modular sections so you can easily mix-and-match content based on different roles, departments, or responsibilities.

For example, everyone at the company might start with the same core course modules, and then branch into specialized case studies that reflect the unique risks and compliance requirements of their particular department or role.

Fix #2: Use relatable imagery and language

The energy-efficient brain naturally filters out unimportant information. Combat this tendency with simple cues that signal the content is important and relevant to the learner.

Swap generic stock photos for visuals that reflect their actual work environment, like real construction sites in safety training. Use a conversational tone instead of industry jargon or legalese. And make sure training examples relate to employees’ daily tasks.

Put these tips to work

For additional tips specific to Articulate 360 products, check out these features:

Upload a real 360° Image from your workplace.
Use AI Assistant to change your writing tone or create custom images that match your context.
Build branching courses for different roles or departments.

MISTAKE #2:

Obvious assessments

The second mistake is using obvious assessment questions that don’t promote critical thinking or meaningful engagement with the training material. These evaluations can feel condescending and make employees ask themselves, “Why waste my time studying something I already know?”

The following example may be an exaggeration, but it demonstrates how some learners may experience no-brainer quiz questions.

Which of the following is NOT an example of respectful communication?

Maria thanks her co-workers for their contributions.
Liam listens actively to team members' concerns and ideas.
Gary livens up his co-workers' boring work presentations by sticking pencils in his mouth and barking like a walrus.

How to uplevel training assessments

Fix #1: Give learners test-out options

Kick off training with a pre-lesson quiz to let employees skip the sections they’ve already mastered. This approach respects employees’ time and existing knowledge—while proving why training is necessary for those who don’t achieve the required score.

Fix #2: Research and use real experiences

Talk to employees, customers, or SMEs to gather real-world questions, commonly confused topics, or tricky situations they’ve encountered. Try looking for honest experiences in online forums, too. Use these anonymized insights to make assessments more realistic and nuanced.

Fix #3: Design branching scenarios

Design branching scenarios that require learners to apply the rules to realistic, on-the-job scenarios. Scenario-based assessments promote critical thinking and emphasize behaviors and actions over abstract concepts. They also show employees the real-world impact of regulations on people and situations.

Creative examples

Instead of enrolling every employee in the same phishing prevention training, send a realistic phishing email to test awareness. Employees who avoid clicking the fake link and report the phishing email to IT can take a brief microlearning course to review key points. Those who fail the test must complete the full-length training.
Create a simulation for employees to practice locating compliance policies and answering questions for themselves. This practical approach increases awareness of self-help resources—while reducing questions and workload for HR.

MISTAKE #3:

Restrictive pacing

The third mistake, restrictive pacing, often stems from good intentions. Course designers want employees to engage with the material and spend enough time learning—not rush or skip ahead to the end-of-course quiz. So, they sprinkle in stopgaps—a pause-and-click element here, a timed slider there—all designed to slow learners down.

But these tricks don’t go unnoticed, and they often backfire. Employees who feel controlled, manipulated, or resentful of training are more likely to mentally check out. You can force learners to stay on a screen longer, but you can’t force them to actually learn.

“Those modules that force you to sit through the entire audio narration—or click something every 30 seconds—are just the worst. It’s like they’re designed to micromanage you.”

—The Employee Perspective

How to optimize compliance learning flow

Fix #1: Use interactivity with purpose

Every e-learning interaction should have a purpose. Avoid adding arbitrary animations and click-and-reveal content if these elements don't directly advance your training goals or improve the learning experience.

Fix #2: Give learners autonomy

Some learners may be able to process information faster through reading than audio and video—or vice versa. If possible, give them the option to take training in their preferred format to speed things up.

Fix #3: Know when to move fast vs. slow

Be strategic with course pacing, and don't treat all course content the same. Move quickly through straightforward course concepts, and take your time on those that demand greater attention.

For example: workplace violence training

Moving fast: Most employees know that physical violence is unacceptable in the workplace. Quickly reviewing your zero-tolerance policy is often enough to reinforce expectations.
Moving slow: Employees might not know what to do if they encounter aggressive behavior from customers or co-workers. It makes sense to spend more time training on warning sign identification, de-escalation techniques, and security procedures with a branching role-play scenario.

MISTAKE #4:

Ugly or outdated design

Neon green text on a white background, robotic course narration, 1990s clip art, and stock photos—add these ingredients, and you’ve got the model of our fourth compliance training mistake: ugly or outdated design.

The look and feel of your online course matters. Recent research shows that attractive visual design evokes positive emotions in learners. Positive emotions facilitate learning in the following ways.

Greater satisfaction and perceived value of training
Higher intrinsic motivation to learn
Better usability and reduced cognitive load

THE BIG IDEA

Learners make snap judgments based on training sensory input. A course with outdated visuals or clunky navigation suggests that the material isn’t a high priority for the organization—or employees.

How to glow-up your compliance training design

The fix:

Replace this	With this
Outdated/low-quality media	Modern/high-quality media
Text-heavy, static slides	Compelling multimedia and relevant interactivity
Clunky course navigation	Intuitive course navigation
Cluttered layouts	Simple, streamlined layouts
Robotic-sounding narration	Natural-sounding narration
Inconsistent branding, colors, fonts, and visual styles	Cohesive branding and design elements
Non-accessible and non-responsive design	Fully accessible and responsive design

Articulate 360 tools make it easy for anyone to quickly create beautiful, media-rich, and interactive course designs. For inspiration, check out this example from a course on avoiding conflicts of interest.

MISTAKE #5:

Insincerity

The fifth mistake is insincerity in how the company represents—or demonstrates a commitment to—compliance training.

Training that feels like a legal formality breeds skepticism. Employees may question the employer’s true intent, or perceive it as a ploy to minimize the company’s liability, rather than a sincere effort to create a safe and ethical workplace that supports employees and organizational values.

Left unaddressed, this perception can erode employee trust. Instead of fostering a shared commitment to ethics and responsibility, it fuels doubt and resentment.

The way I see it, this isn’t about protecting us—it’s about protecting the company. Employers just want to cover their bases in case something happens so they can say, ‘Well, we provided the training.’

The Employee Perspective

How to demonstrate sincerity and commitment

Fix #1: Be transparent

Share the real purpose of mandatory training—whether that’s advancing company values or simply fulfilling regulatory requirements. Set expectations without sugarcoating it. If the content is tedious, acknowledge that reality, then remind employees why it’s still important. They’ll appreciate the honesty.

Fix #2: Allocate time

Schedule training during paid work hours, and instruct managers to adjust workloads to accommodate it. This shows employees that compliance is a company priority. It also provides the time and mental space employees need to fully engage with the material without feeling rushed or overwhelmed.

Fix #3: Model behaviors

Leaders should actively demonstrate the behaviors and values taught in compliance training. This means completing the same training as employees and visibly applying its principles in daily actions. Employees won’t take compliance training seriously if leadership appears to be immune from the standards set for everyone else.

MISTAKE #6:

Boring or tedious
learning experiences

Let’s face it. Compliance is not usually exciting. It’s difficult to make something like the company’s code of conduct a thrill. That’s why many mandatory employee training courses fall victim to the sixth mistake: boring or tedious learning experiences.

Course designers typically respond to this challenge in one of two extremes. Some overcompensate by cramming in flashy games, unnecessary multimedia, or gimmicky interactivity that feels forced and out of place. Others throw in the towel altogether, settling for dry, uninspired training.

Both approaches miss the mark. But is it possible to do better?

How to increase engagement

The fix: Rethink what drives engagement

The fix starts with dispelling misconceptions about what actually makes compliance training engaging. Hint: It's not about being unnecessarily flashy. Rather, engaging compliance content is polished, practical, and aligned with real-world needs.

Instead of trying to make compliance training:

Hyper-entertaining
Hyper-interactive
Overly trendy or flashy
Overcomplicated with high-tech bells and whistles

Focus on making compliance training:

Challenging
Relevant and useful
Well-designed
Respectful of employees’ time and prior knowledge

Quick tips

Here are a few additional tips to deliver on these key priorities:

Be concise. If content doesn’t serve a core learning objective or compliance requirement, leave it out. Only include what’s necessary.
Use plain language. Legalese and corporate speak can contribute to both dry and confusing training. Write as employees speak for an instant engagement boost.
Update regularly. Keep training fresh and relevant with emerging workplace challenges or regulatory changes.

MISTAKE #7:

Inefficacy

All of the missteps highlighted by this e-book add up to compliance training’s final, and most, serious failing: inefficacy.

At its core, employee compliance training exists to reduce risk, reinforce desired behaviors, and create a safe and ethical work environment. When training doesn’t achieve these goals, it wastes employees’ time, squanders company resources, and jeopardizes employee safety, customer trust, and the greater business.

The facts about ineffective compliance training

40 percent of surveyed companies say their compliance programs are basic or reactionary.
71 percent of surveyed HR and business leaders think employees are likely breaking the rules.

73 percent of respondents say lack of awareness or understanding of the rules is the most common reason employees violate policies.

How to maximize compliance program impact

Making compliance program more relevant, engaging, efficient, and thought-provoking will improve training effectiveness. That means all of the tips previously outlined in this e-book will help. But beyond that, what else can you do to make compliance materials more impactful? Explore three additional fixes below.

Fix #1: Take a behavioral-based approach

Design your training to prioritize behaviors over theories. For example, instead of quizzing employees on a technical definition of harassment, teach them how to recognize it in action and follow the proper steps to report it.

Fix #2: Reinforce learning with follow-ups

One-and-done training sessions don’t work. Research shows that learners forget up to 50 percent of new information within an hour without reinforcement. Keep compliance

topics top of mind with follow-up activities like microlearning modules, short quizzes, or refresher videos over time.

Fix #3: Measure results and iterate

Use surveys, pre- and post-training assessments, and workplace behavior metrics to evaluate how well your program is working. Is employee understanding improving? Are incident reports decreasing? Pinpoint gaps and refine your training content accordingly.

Reinforce essential compliance concepts effortlessly with Articulate 360 tools for building dynamic microlearning courses.

A CASE STUDY

How a real company achieved five-star compliance results

Aptive, a consulting firm supporting federal agencies, grew from 280 to over 500 employees in three years, driving a need for scalable learning solutions. Using Articulate 360, they created their first standardized ethics and conduct course with standout results.

The strategies

Embedded core values
Clear and relevant course structure
Challenging, interactive knowledge checks, case studies, and practice scenarios
Practical, actionable insights

The results

5-star average learner rating
500+ employees trained
3-month development and launch timeline
Winner of the 2024 Brandon Hall Group Silver HCM Award for custom content

An off-the-shelf course could not meet our need for educating our workforce on key ethical lessons… We needed the assurance that 100% of our workforce had that information—in an interactive and challenging way. We found that in Articulate.”

Jennifer Farrell, Director of Learning and Development, Aptive

Read the full case study