It’s an unfortunate truth: Most companies view learning and development mistakenly as an appendage of HR instead of a strategic partner for both protection and growth. However, correcting this mistaken view can clear the path for L&D professionals to demonstrate the pivotal role they play.
Robust employee training and development helps companies to not only be agile and competitive, but to also mitigate negative risk in an uncertain environment while capitalizing on positive risk. How, then, is it possible to achieve all of this?
The typical answer lies in buy-in from leadership. While this is true, strategic L&D professionals realize that they themselves are leaders in their organizations, and therefore must be proactive to demonstrate how their role directly supports and drives the company’s overall mission. To earn that seat at the table, L&D leaders need to develop a long-term plan to coordinate their department with larger company goals and initiatives. This includes bringing to light the critical importance of learning and development to help meet legal and compliance requirements which guides the organization to successfully manage risk overall.
For instance, in a recent speech, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco described increasing enforcement efforts as they relate to bribery and corruption, including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. She explained that there is a “new level of intensity and commitment to sanctions enforcement” at the United States Department of Justice.
Monaco emphasized that sanctions enforcement is no longer just a concern for a one certain industry such as the financial sector, but rather for “any business with an international supply chain.” Thus, organizations should place related knowledge and training efforts at the forefront. This is but one example where L&D professionals can lead and demonstrate their value to get a seat at the table. Moreover, the DOJ “expect[s] to see a new level of sophistication and resource commitment to sanctions compliance at companies across the globe,” so this means that companies must provide resources to heed the DOJ’s warning and to take action to establish the appropriate programs to address potential issues and violations. Such programs include training, where L&D professionals can truly shine.
As Monaco indicated, such programs should include ensuring that the organization has sufficient knowledgeable personnel regarding related risks. Additionally, as the DOJ’s Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs instructs, an effective compliance program should include development and training on related compliance policies and procedures. This then helps corporate boards, which should evaluate whether they are effectively overseeing the company’s controls and related compliance. Again, this is an area where L&D professionals can add their expertise and get their voices heard by all leadership.
As can be seen from just this one example, as the DOJ’s commitment to enforcement grows, the stakes are potentially very high to companies. As Deputy Attorney General Monaco explained, the old ways of managing such risks may no longer be sufficient to address the risks of today.
There are so many opportunities for L&D professionals to add their expertise, including to assist in the assessment of their current compliance programs and risk profile to reduce the negative risk of potential violations and DOJ enforcement. Being proactive and strategic will get the L&D professional a seat at the table. And, given today’s increasingly uncertain world, it is necessary to do so.
