Continuous Compliance Culture

When driving down the road and a stoplight turns red ahead, most drivers’ initial reaction is to apply pressure on the brakes and bring the car to a halt. One does not have to consult the state driving laws before making that decision. Drivers recognize red lights as a signal to stop because it’s the law, but also because they understand the safety concerns associated with running a red light.

The much smaller portion of drivers who continue driving thru a red light may disregard the signal for various reasons. The driver may be ignorant about one of the most basic driving laws, which if this is the case, one may question how this driver passed the driver’s exam and has been issued a motor vehicle license. It is also possible for the driver to be aware of the significance of a red light, but failed to take notice this specific incident. The third and most dangerous scenario is that the driver understands the importance of the red light and acknowledged it, yet failed to stop because of blatant disregard.

Different industries have standards and regulations in place to protect the safety of employees, employers, and customers alike. It is the company’s corporate responsibility to familiarize themselves with and comply with the current standards before getting behind the wheel. In order to be complaint, companies should not have to constantly refer to the written regulation. It should be second nature, baked into the corporate culture. Compliance should not be something employees and employers dread because of the additional “hassle”. Much like a driver has the obligation to the passengers in his/her car and the drivers to learn and obey the rules of the road, companies must understand and comply with industry regulations.

Many companies claim compliance take more time than they are willing to commit. These companies claim being compliant adds additional tasks to employees and costs money to tract, thus negatively affecting productivity. However, I argue that the risk and cost associated with not being compliant far outweighs the former issues. Like a driver fearing being pulled over and receiving a citation from a police officer, companies fear being audited and being burdened with heavy fines for not being compliant. Unlike drivers who follow the driving laws in order to safely reach a destination; companies do not always consider the safety hazards associated with not being compliant.

The way people have invested in hydraulic brakes to increase their safety, to alleviate the pressure associated with regulatory compliance, companies can automate their compliance process and invest in regulatory compliance software solutions offered. Either they can build it in house or license PREDICT360, a GRC regulatory compliance SaaS-based solution that brings more sophistication with an integrated system of multiple modules, including:

• learning management systems
• regulatory knowledge base
• audit management and risk management
• case management
• expert advisory
• policy and procedure management

Compliance should not be thought of as additional, burdensome work, but rather second nature. In some cases, the cost can be less than a one head count, but can save lives of thousands. Much like a licensed driver puts his/her foot on the right pedal when approaching a red stoplight, employees should recognize regulatory compliance issues and simply react accordingly.