Have you ever thought employee motivation could be key in your compliance program? What would you say if I told you that an attractive and well-designed compliance program could create a work environment where employees want to belong?

“Job satisfaction” is a feeling of fulfillment or enjoyment a person derives from their job. Job satisfaction makes employees feel motivated and encourages better performance and decision-making based on integrity—when it is built into the culture. “Competitive advantage” is a condition or circumstance that puts a company in a favorable or superior business position. But how does a compliance program influence job satisfaction and competitive advantage?

Since I started working in compliance, I was taught that compliance is a regulatory mechanism to comply with laws, avoid conflict of interests, guide employees through whether they can accept gifts or hospitality, and encourage a speak-up culture by explaining the legal consequences they could face when noncompliance is accepted or promoted within their areas. Compliance showed what you could do wrong.

My experience, failures, achievements, and constant feedback have allowed me to look for better ways to implement an effective, engaging, and attractive compliance program. Motivation is everything. It is the most powerful tool we implement in any kind of program. If we want to pursue a proactive compliance culture over a reactive one, compliance should not be boring and overly technical; it needs to be fun and should promote the right behaviors.