Getting the Most from Case Management Systems
Even though we are in 2021, compliance, communications, and culture challenges are still at the forefront of corporate conversations. Our team was interested in learning about what is keeping our client leaders up at night and gleaned some interesting and timely information.
Regular check-ins revealed four main stressors for our clients’ compliance and human resources professionals:
Evolving regulations and related re-training
Ensuring compliance in a remote world
Providing employee services and addressing employee concerns whether they are at home or moving back into the office
Keeping track of it all
It isn't easy to connect the dots and make sure company policy translates to training, which results in compliance across the organization. However, there is a way to bring order to it all with an integrated approach to Ethics and HR case management. Are you thinking of investing in a case management system? If so, make sure your checklist includes a system that integrates workflow across functions, training, and communication strategies, as well as robust data analytics.
Easy Integration from Policy to Compliance
A platform that guides workflows, tracks status, and has robust data analytics adds value and efficiency to the investigation process. A platform that blends Ethics and Human Resources' needs gives both departments an efficient solution that improves communication and data access.
Imagine sharing information about training, compliance, investigations, and documentation between your Ethics and HR teams in a way that leverages both teams' processes and data. A concerning comment in an exit interview could be logged into the case management system for HR follow-up and at the same time alert the ethics team about potential compliance issues.
Beyond collaboration, an integrated cloud platform is easy to access and use from anywhere—this ease of use leads to an improved user experience and ultimately meeting your compliance standards. A cloud-based case management system drives efficiency through your Ethics and HR processes by automating case intake, routing cases to the right team members, and tracking resolution.
Training and Communication That Works
It's a given that HR is a partner for any organizational training. ETHIX360's I Learn training platform provides professionally produced Ethics and HR training, and is easily customized to your company’s culture. You can even drop in videos of your leaders using green screen technology, personalizing leadership as role models for compliance. I Learn gives employees easy access to training, and the technology ranges from mobile to virtual reality. Impactful training is remembered and generates good conversation, and virtual reality modules are a fun way to help make those conversations real.
Whether you are rolling out a new compliance platform or updating a regulatory requirement, use proven change management communication strategies to increase success. The Society for HR Management (SHRM) recommends change communication approaches include at least the following steps:
Create a sense of urgency around the change. Let employees know the end-goal and how it will improve their work, and that they will receive all the training they need to succeed. Create a desire for change.
Assess employees' skills and knowledge before the change and plan to reskill them to succeed after the change. Use a mobile-based training system to deliver new skills and updates throughout the process.
Measure compliance after the impact of change and get feedback from employees to address questions or problems along the way.
Integrated Data for Real Insights
Business decisions are data-driven now more than ever. The HR team is most likely using analytics strategies for workforce planning, staffing, engagement, investigation tracking, and compensation decisions. The compliance team tracks ethics cases, training, and engagement as well. Bringing this data together is cost-effective and provides improved insights into the business.
With flexible reporting systems, you can combine factors that reveal a path forward. Do departments with higher engagement levels also have higher levels of compliance? If so, could improving employee engagement result in a decrease in ethics cases? Do employees hired from one particular source have higher compliance with regulations and training? Get creative and use data to extract new value from your business and link strategies that compound positive results. Combining your data platforms also makes system updates easier and saves money overall.
In general, integrated cloud-based platforms grow with your business and can scale with data needs. Benefits include:
Streamlining data processes of collecting, storing, analyzing, and presenting
Reducing organizational silos and improving collaboration even across global distances
Creating a unified approach to data, allowing the team to develop questions and test approaches that drive decision-making
Enhancing governance and security of data, along with better business continuity processes
An Integrated Ethics and HR Platform: Why Now?
Cloud environments are cost-effective and easy to upgrade and scale as needed. But most importantly, an integrated platform results in cross-departmental collaboration, easy-to-access training, or employee survey tools that provide trending information, dashboards, data sharing, and insights needed to drive the business forward.
A survey by business consultancy Accenture found that c-suite executives believe the disruption of COVID-19 in 2020 has accelerated the move to digital cloud computing. Those who have made the switch reported that they fully achieved or mostly achieved their goals concerning cost, business enablement, service level, and business continuity.
2021 is a year of changing regulations, evolving policies, and hopefully a return to the workplace for many employees. Now is the time to refresh training, refocus on compliance, and move teams to a more collaborative platform that shares data and insights across the business. Learn how ETHIX360 solutions will build success in every step of the process.
The ETHIX360 blog brings you weekly updates on all things human resources and compliance.
MEET THE AUTHOR
Kristin Hassan is the Chief Human Resources Officer of ETHIX360. Kristin spent six years as the New York City SHRM’s executive director and is a board member of the Human Resources Management Association - Princeton SHRM Chapter and a member of the Peer 150 HR Group.
ABOUT ETHIX360
At ETHIX360, our goal is simple: to provide an affordable, flexible, and comprehensive answer to employee communication, policy management, corporate training and case management on issues related to corporate ethics, code of conduct, fraud, bribery, and workplace violence.
