This blog post has been updated on July 12, 2022 to reflect new company data and solutions.
When it comes to delivering effective ethics and compliance education, manufacturing companies struggle to train their production workers without increasing production times and work hours. Limited computer access, varying tenures, and evolving COVID-19 safety measures only add to the challenge. But a recent segment of data from the LRN Benchmark of Ethical Culture reveals that there is an opportunity to improve the state of ethical culture in the manufacturing sector by reinforcing company values—especially with production teams. In a new infographic, LRN outlines two strategies for delivering ethics and compliance training that can effectively communicate key corporate values, maintain operational efficiency, and meet compliance requirements without sacrificing learning outcomes. Let’s take a closer look at the data behind these opportunities and how each strategy can move manufacturing teams in the right direction.
Reinforcing company values via E&C training can boost employee engagement in manufacturing
Across the Benchmark of Ethical Culture survey, participants were asked to respond whether they agreed, disagreed, or were neutral on statements that pertained to their company culture. The results, which we explore in greater depth in another blog post, show that survey respondents who worked in production roles for manufacturing companies were more likely than their corporate office colleagues to give neutral scores on statements related to consulting company values and ethical standards. Some of the greatest differences included:
My team puts our shared company goals above our individual team goals
- Corporate: 18% neutral
- Production: 28% neutral
I would feel comfortable raising concerns about unethical behavior to my manager
- Corporate: 17% neutral
- Production: 27% neutral
Even under pressure, people abide by our values and code of conduct
- Corporate: 18% neutral
- Production: 27% neutral
People question decisions that don't seem to align with our values or ethical standards
- Corporate: 16% neutral
- Production: 25% neutral
These responses echo a larger trend of low employee engagement within the manufacturing industry. A recent Gallup report found that employee engagement rates in manufacturing are the lowest of any industry in the United States, with only 25% of employees considered to be engaged. Reinforcing company values through ethics and compliance training, using a combination of the two strategies outlined in the new LRN infographic, can help overcome this potential engagement challenge among production employees.
Classroom training: Ethics and compliance in person for the manufacturing workforce
While this form of ethics and compliance training might initially seem “old school,” classroom training has two key conveniences for the manufacturing industry. For starters, it is a great option for employees in production roles, who often have limited access to technology. It also requires less supervisor management and oversight of ongoing training.
Using this approach, an employee volunteer or member of the E&C team uses a facilitator guide to lead a group of coworkers—all of whom would badge in to complete training together—through various training scenarios. The facilitator would then wrap up by engaging their team members in a discussion about what they learned. It is worth noting that the public health and production challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic may hinder ethics and compliance teams from fully implementing classroom training. But a valuable benefit to this approach is that in-person learning experiences help increase trust and put a human face to the ethics and compliance function.
Microlearning: Ethics and compliance training "on the go" for manufacturing companies
An increasingly popular term in the adult learning sphere, microlearning offers quick, easily accessible learning when and where employees need it. Using this approach, ethics and compliance training is delivered in digestible increments, helping learners retain complex information more effectively
For manufacturers, a significant benefit to this form of training is the amount of time it takes to deliver information. Rather than being pulled off the floor to complete a long training session, production workers can badge in at the beginning or end of their shifts and spend a short period of time (around five to seven minutes) completing their required ethics and compliance training at a kiosk.
The key takeaway
In an industry like manufacturing that prioritizes operational efficiency and compliance requirements, both microlearning and classroom training are surefire strategies for delivering ethics and compliance education in a more impactful, personal way. To learn more about specific cost considerations and tracking details for each approach, download the infographic. And check out these resources as well on the state of ethical culture in the manufacturing industry.
