Simple Rules, Complex Application: Ethics Training that Goes Beyond Black and White

High-level executives at a billion-dollar software company wanted to introduce a new code of conduct to the company’s 10,000+ employees around the world. The challenge? Making a dry, compliance-driven topic come to life for a global audience with different cultural backgrounds.

While rules in a code of conduct can appear straightforward, the situations in which they’re applied are often complex and challenging to navigate. We realized early on that if we wanted people to live by the new code, we needed to make it crystal clear how the rules apply in the scenarios they face day in and day out.

We created an interactive eLearning module that allowed learners to watch company leaders from around the globe tell "war stories” from their own experiences relating critical moments in their work lives when the code of conduct became real and tangible. Afterward, learners were presented with similar situations to manage. They would give their responses to a chatbot, which evaluated their response, giving coaching and feedback. In addition to providing an interactive knowledge check, the chatbot presented an opportunity to familiarize the audience with the chat-based Ethics Hotline.