Post By: Adam Turteltaub

Perhaps the most intriguing title for a session at the 2021 SCCE Compliance & Ethics Institute was “Re-Thinking Employee ‘Engagement’: What’s on Your Compliance Program’s Dating Profile.” Not often you see references to dating the compliance department.

To learn more about the session and the ideas behind it we sat down with the speakers:  Asha Palmer, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Convercent; Scheretta Wilson, Director, Ethics and Compliance, Endo1Partners; and Ronnie Kann, Head of Global Ethics & Compliance, Energizer.

While the title is a bit fun and out there, the lessons are very practical and close to home. The central idea is that people are watching and listening to see what compliance does and how it acts. That means compliance teams need to focus on being approachable, engaging with their audience and, frankly, trying to be likable. Or, as they put it, and to borrow from the dating apps, you want them to swipe right, not left.

So what does that mean in practice? For one, being a good listener. Just as someone who talks all the time is a bad date, while a good listener is usually a much better one, compliance needs to be a place where others feel comfortable speaking, raising concerns, and asking questions.

Compliance also needs to adjust to who is on the other side of the table. For leadership the keys they see are securing buy in early, keeping it simple, and using their own language, such as demonstrating financial ramifications.

For the rank-and-file workforce, success comes from helping them understand risk and what to look out for. It also means being approachable and present.

And, when it comes to middle management, a group that is often overwhelmed with demands from above and below, be collaborative. Ask them how things are going both personally and for the business. Find out what’s keeping them up at night. Talk about data, metrics, business impact and financial outcomes. It’s the love language of business.

Listen in to learn more, and then spend some time considering your own team’s dating profile.