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Compliance training is more than a legal requirement. Done well, it helps organisations protect their people, their data and their reputation, while supporting a culture of trust and responsibility.
The challenge? Compliance training is often associated with long modules, dense language and a strong sense of obligation rather than understanding.
In this guide, we explore how video can support more effective compliance training, why expectations are rising, and how learning teams are using video in learning to improve clarity, engagement and retention.
Understanding compliance training
What is compliance training?
Compliance training is a structured learning programme designed to help employees understand the laws, regulations and internal policies relevant to their role. It plays a vital role in managing organisational risk and ensuring people know what’s expected of them at work.
Topics vary by sector and organisation, but commonly include:
- Data protection and information security
- Workplace health and safety
- Equality, diversity and inclusion
- Ethics and professional conduct
Compliance training helps people make the right decisions – especially in situations where the consequences of getting it wrong can be serious.
Why compliance training matters
Regulatory requirements continue to evolve, particularly around data protection, cyber security and corporate accountability. At the same time, organisations face increased scrutiny from regulators, customers and employees.
When it’s done well, compliance training helps protect everyone involved — giving employees the clarity they need to act confidently, safeguarding the organisation from legal and reputational risk, and ensuring that critical processes and knowledge are applied consistently.
While many organisations meet the minimum compliance requirements, completion alone doesn’t guarantee understanding. Employees may finish training without feeling confident about how to apply guidance in real situations, especially when pressure or uncertainty is involved.
As a result, compliance training is shifting away from one-off, “tick-box” exercises towards ongoing, role-relevant learning that supports better judgement, protects the organisation, and helps good practice become part of everyday work.
Common examples of compliance training
Cyber security and data protection
Information security training helps employees understand their role in protecting data, from recognising phishing emails to handling sensitive information correctly. With regulations such as GDPR, this type of training has become essential across almost every industry.
Financial and regulatory compliance
Topics like anti-money laundering, fraud prevention and financial reporting can be complex. Visual and scenario-based learning can help bring these subjects to life and show how they apply in day-to-day roles.
See how Aztec Group transformed their compliance training.
Workplace conduct and safety
From health and safety to dignity at work, workplace compliance training helps create environments that are safe, respectful and legally compliant. It also helps employees understand where to go for support if issues arise.
Why video works well for compliance training
Compliance topics are often complex, sensitive or easy to misunderstand when delivered as text alone. Video helps bridge that gap by showing, not just telling.
Used well, video in learning can:
- Make expectations clearer by showing how rules apply in practice
- Bring scenarios to life, helping learners recognise risk in everyday situations
- Support consistency, so the same message is understood across roles, teams and locations
- Reinforce memory, using visuals and storytelling to improve recall
Animated video is particularly useful where real-world filming isn’t appropriate –— for example, when exploring ethical dilemmas, data breaches or hypothetical incidents.
How to make compliance training more effective with video
Use scenarios and real-world examples
Scenario-based learning helps employees understand how compliance applies in practice. Video allows learning teams to show decision points, consequences and best practices in a clear, non-confrontational way.
Keep content focused and accessible
Short, focused compliance videos are often more effective than lengthy modules. Bite-sized content supports better retention and fits more naturally into busy working days, especially for remote or hybrid teams.
Check understanding and invite feedback
Simple knowledge checks help confirm key messages have landed. Gathering learner feedback also helps identify gaps and improve future training.
Keep content up to date
Compliance requirements change, and training needs to keep pace. Content that is easy to refresh reduces the risk of outdated guidance remaining in circulation.
Creating compliance training videos that are easier to maintain
Alongside learner engagement, compliance training also needs to be practical for L&D teams to manage over time.
Modern video creation tools, such as Vyond, are often used to:
- Translate complex compliance topics into clear visual explanations
- Maintain consistent branding and tone across compliance programmes
- Update content quickly when policies, regulations or guidance change
- Improve accessibility, through captions, translations and flexible formats
When compliance videos are easy to edit and refresh, organisations are better placed to keep training accurate, relevant and aligned with changing requirements.
Create confident compliance training with video
Effective compliance training isn’t about ticking a box. It’s about helping people understand expectations, make informed decisions and act with confidence.
By combining thoughtful learning design with accessible formats such as video, organisations can create compliance training that supports understanding, reduces risk and reinforces organisational values.
For more information about how Vyond can support your compliance training, contact us and one of our experts will be in touch.