Risk management without doubt: how storytelling can strengthen compliance

Compliance is a key component of organizational culture. It ensures that employees know the behavior and standards expected of them and are able to adhere to them consistently. However, it would be a mistake to believe that compliance will happen by itself due to the team’s sense of responsibility or commitment. For example, non-compliance with company policies and procedures is often due to poor communication between management and employees. One thing is clear: the topic of compliance must be integrated into the communication strategy. This is the only way for employees to fully understand their role within the company.

Storytelling can help here! Because stories play an important role in how we make sense of the world around us – whether we are explaining to ourselves why we got up at 6 a.m. today or why we should be compliant at work! They help us to process content better and captivate us emotionally. This makes it easier for us to remember previous experiences when we come across new information later. In other words, storytelling can help reinforce compliance messages because it provides context as to why certain actions are important.

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Why storytelling makes sense for compliance

Stories are more captivating than facts or figures and therefore stick in the memory. Studies have shown that people who are told anecdotes remember information better than those who are told the same content directly. So pure compliance guidelines are less likely to stick than content that shows why certain guidelines must be adhered to and how this also contributes to the company’s mission.

Stories can also be used to explain complex concepts or to better understand the context of a situation. A big plus for topics that require explanation, such as compliance. Storytelling also gives us the feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves and motivates us to work in an audit-proof way.

Stories can also be used as teaching aids. They help to share learnings with the entire team and thus achieve a common level of knowledge! Compliance failures therefore have no chance of creeping into the company. We can learn from them and pass on this knowledge effectively.

Stories give us a sense of the way the world works

We all use stories to make sense of the world. They are a universal means of communicating values and beliefs. They help us to see the world in a new way. By telling stories, we also gain an insight into the attitudes of other people or entire companies. The values of an organization are therefore an important part of the business model and help to explain why the company does what it does. If this value set matches your own, it can be used effectively as a compliance tool. A shared world of values creates an emotional connection to the brand and ultimately decides whether we are willing to accept internal measures or not.

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Compliant or non-compliant – why is that actually the question?

Compliance officers should occasionally ask themselves in their work why people actually follow rules. This is the only way to increase the motivation to actually do this. In the least cases – even if it sounds crazy – guidelines are followed because employees know that they can be dismissed if they violate them, for example. Instead, compliance depends on how strongly employees identify with their own company. If the sense of belonging is particularly strong, they follow the rules even if no one is looking over their shoulder – even though non-compliance would have no consequences. Strengthening this requires much more than setting a good example or putting the guidelines in writing: It is about inspiring employees to act by showing them how those very business practices benefit society as a whole. In addition, this can even be a competitive advantage that should be clearly emphasized and communicated internally.

How do you tell a compliance story?

Every story follows a narrative structure – and a compliance story is no exception!

• The main character should be located in the world of the learner. In order to build a relationship with the story, it also needs a background story – i.e. additional context, a problem to be solved and a positive outcome. Similar to a testimonial story from the company, this gives employees better access to the topic, the new rules and why they are important for the organization.
• Nobody really likes officialese! Guidelines alone are often not immediately understandable. To explain them to the team, it is important to keep the compliance story close to the spoken word in order to avoid ambiguity. The story should also be based on everyday working life with examples in the industry context. This allows learners to process the content directly.
• It needs a beginning, a middle, an end… and a triggering event! Like any good story, it’s usually about the hero or heroine being faced with a challenge, figuring out the best way to solve the problem, and then taking the action required to solve it – and creating a better reality in the process. The structure of the story in particular is also about focusing on the shared world of values. The solution itself should ultimately be oriented as closely as possible to the employees.

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Is the storytelling direct, concise and appealing?

Stories should be kept as short and concise as possible. This makes it easier for listeners to remember the most important points. If a story cannot be told in a few sentences, it must be made more concise. To ensure that the story is captivating enough to hold your attention throughout a presentation or conversation, it should be presented in an appealing and entertaining way. It does not matter whether such content is used for the website, blog or newsletter. A consistent style ultimately helps readers to better understand the brand and what it is trying to say.

Seeing the big picture: Stories as part of the corporate culture

When compliance is part of a bigger story, it helps to embed it in the corporate culture. How can that work? One thing is clear: companies must link the compliance guidelines to their own values and show how these play a role in employees’ daily tasks. Storylistening sessions can help to find and establish a common basis within the team.

It is important to think carefully about how employees should behave rather than simply telling them what they should not do. An example of this: “We don’t just want our employees to abide by the law because it could look bad for us if the media finds out that we have broken it – we want them to abide by the law because it is good for society and for the company if everyone abides by it. If our organization is doing well as a result, then everyone else who works here or is a customer is doing well too.”

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Conclusion: Targeting employees with a compliance story

As compliance with regulations becomes increasingly important and new regulations need to be implemented as quickly as possible, it is crucial that these are anchored in the corporate culture with the help of narratives. The aim is not only to convey the facts and figures, but also to show how they fit into a bigger picture. By integrating compliance stories into other corporate communications, employees can be made aware of how the brand sees itself as a responsible member of society.

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If that doesn’t quench your thirst for knowledge, take a look at our blog post “Storylistening in companies: Why you should urgently listen to your colleagues“.