Employee Onboarding Smarter: Why Compliance Training Must Come First

Setting the Stage: Compliance as the First Step in Onboarding

Employee onboarding sets the tone for a new hire’s journey, laying the groundwork for their success and your organization’s culture. A critical component of “smarter” onboarding is ensuring compliance training comes first. Before diving into role-specific duties or team meet-and-greets, organizations must address legal, ethical, and policy requirements. Skipping or delaying this step is akin to sending someone on a road trip without teaching them the traffic rules, a recipe for confusion and risk. By prioritizing compliance training from day one, companies build a foundation of trust, safety, and accountability that benefits both employees and the business. In this article, we explore why compliance training should be the first item on your onboarding agenda, the risks of neglecting it, and how to implement a compliance-first onboarding program effectively.

Table of Contents

• Why Compliance Training Comes First in Onboarding
  
• Risks of Neglecting Early Compliance Training
  
• Benefits of a Compliance-First Onboarding Program
  
• Key Compliance Topics to Cover with New Hires
  
• Best Practices for Implementing Compliance Training Early
• Final Thoughts: Building a Foundation of Trust from Day One

Orienting new employees isn’t just about handing out badges and introducing teammates, it’s about equipping them with the knowledge to operate safely and legally in their new roles from the very start. Research and expert insights emphasize that onboarding should “ground your program in compliance-oriented tasks to mitigate risks and uphold legal standards”. In practice, this means the first few days (even the first day) of a new hire’s experience must cover critical compliance matters like company policies, codes of conduct, and mandatory regulations.

Why put compliance at the forefront? First, onboarding is a pivotal period to shape behavior and culture. New hires are highly impressionable in their first weeks; this is when they learn “how we do things here.” Including compliance training immediately helps promote positive behavior and prevent problems before they occur. It signals that your organization values ethics, safety, and respect from day one. In fact, the onboarding process is one of the most critical times to set expectations for company culture and standards.

Second, many compliance topics are not optional. Virtually every organization must abide by laws and regulations, be it workplace safety rules, anti-harassment laws, data protection regulations, or industry-specific standards. Compliance training ensures new employees know the rules, regulations, and policies tied to their role from the moment they walk in. Rather than viewing it as a box-ticking exercise, think of early compliance training as “laying the groundwork for legal compliance” and responsible conduct. It’s an investment in educating employees on how to act within industry standards and laws, which pays off through smoother operations and fewer legal issues. Companies that invest in solid compliance onboarding see tangible benefits, including reduced issues and even financial returns on compliance investments.

Finally, putting compliance first is about protecting both the employee and the organization. New hires want to succeed and avoid missteps. By giving them clear guidance on policies and regulations at the outset, you relieve anxiety and prevent misunderstandings. As one HR expert succinctly puts it, “onboarding new employees can be fun — but first, you need to get the more serious steps out of the way”. This approach sets everyone up for success by addressing critical must-know information upfront, so that subsequent onboarding activities (like job training or social integration) can proceed on a solid foundation.

Failing to prioritize compliance training in onboarding can lead to costly and damaging consequences. Compliance issues are often “the consequences of a lack of training”, manifesting as legal problems, safety incidents, or ethical breaches. Here are some key risks organizations face if they neglect to train new hires on compliance essentials early:

• Legal and Financial Risks: One of the most immediate dangers is exposure to fines, lawsuits, and regulatory penalties. Employees who are unaware of laws or company policies may inadvertently violate them, triggering compliance breaches. For instance, an improperly trained employee might mishandle sensitive data, leading to a data protection violation, or overlook a safety protocol, resulting in an accident, both scenarios that could land the company in legal trouble. Studies consistently find that the cost of non-compliance far exceeds the cost of compliance. According to a Ponemon Institute analysis, companies on average spend $5.5 million on compliance annually, whereas the average cost of non-compliance is $15 million, roughly 2.7 times higher. Non-compliance doesn’t just bring fines; it also entails remediation expenses, legal fees, and business disruption. In short, skimping on compliance training is a false economy, any short-term time “saved” by cutting training can be dwarfed by the huge costs of an incident later.
  
• Reputational Damage: Beyond direct penalties, non-compliance can seriously harm a company’s reputation and erode stakeholder trust. A single scandal, say, a harassment lawsuit that hits the media or a preventable safety mishap, can make employees, customers, and investors lose faith. Enterprise leaders know that reputational harm and loss of customer trust are intangible costs that far outweigh fines. By not instilling compliance awareness from the outset, organizations risk new hires making mistakes that tarnish the brand’s image. Modern businesses operate in a transparent world where news of misconduct travels fast; preventing that through early training is far preferable to damage control after the fact.
  
• Operational and Safety Risks: Employees lacking training might make errors that disrupt operations or endanger themselves and others. For example, if a new hire in manufacturing or healthcare isn’t educated on safety protocols, the chance of workplace accidents rises. These incidents can halt production, injure workers, or trigger investigations. As one HR compliance resource notes, mistakes from untrained staff can result in lawsuits, injuries, and even charges of negligence against the employer. Even in less hazardous environments, compliance gaps (like not knowing IT security procedures) can lead to security breaches or downtime. Early compliance training dramatically reduces the risk of such costly mistakes by making sure employees know how to perform their jobs safely and correctly within regulations.
  
• Cultural Erosion and Turnover: Neglecting compliance training can also quietly damage your workplace culture. If employees are unsure about the code of conduct or see rules being applied inconsistently, it breeds confusion and cynicism. Worse, issues like harassment or bullying can fester if people aren’t trained on appropriate workplace behavior and how to report problems. A toxic culture is a proven recipe for high turnover and low morale. New hires judge a company by how it introduces them to workplace norms. If compliance and ethics seem like afterthoughts, they may disengage or develop lax attitudes themselves. Conversely, emphasizing ethical conduct and respect from day one fosters a positive culture and can improve retention. (Notably, organizations with effective onboarding, which includes clarifying rules and expectations, see much higher retention rates; one study showed a 52% improvement in retention with strong onboarding programs.)
  

In summary, failing to deliver compliance training early is an avoidable gamble. It leaves both the organization and employees exposed, legally, financially, and operationally. The potential costs of non-compliance (business disruptions, penalties, reputational fallout) underscore why a proactive training approach at onboarding is so critical. As one compliance expert put it, “Compliance isn’t something to put off, it’s something to prioritize.” When companies incorporate compliance instruction at the start, they reduce the risk of mistakes or violations from the get-go.

Making compliance training the first order of business in onboarding yields numerous benefits, turning what might seem like an obligatory exercise into a strategic advantage. By starting new hires with compliance, organizations can:

• Prevent Issues Before They Occur: The most obvious benefit is risk reduction. A compliance-first onboarding arms employees with knowledge to avoid costly errors and violations. New staff learn how to do things correctly, legally, and ethically before they have a chance to do it wrong. For example, training on data privacy and cybersecurity from day one means employees are far less likely to cause a data breach through negligence. Indeed, a significant portion of security incidents trace back to employee mistakes, one survey found 30% of data breaches were rooted in employee error. Early security awareness training can curb these incidents. Similarly, teaching harassment prevention upfront empowers employees to maintain respectful interactions, mitigating the risk of harassment cases. Effective compliance onboarding is essentially a preventive medicine for the organization, it tackles problems at the source. As one source notes, when employees are properly trained, companies see fewer legal issues and “steer clear of expensive setbacks right from the get-go”.
  
• Save Money and Increase ROI: A well-structured compliance program doesn’t just avoid costs; it can create a return on investment. By dodging fines, lawsuits, and downtime, companies save money. There’s data to back this up: for every dollar spent on compliance, businesses save an estimated $1.37 in avoided costs. Investing in training and controls is far cheaper than paying for the fallout of an incident. Furthermore, a compliance-oriented culture can streamline operations (fewer disruptions) and even reduce insurance premiums or attract business partners/customers who value ethical standards. In short, compliance pays. It’s telling that businesses with robust compliance and ethics programs often outperform others in stability and reputation. Being known as a company that “does things right” can be a competitive advantage.
  
• Foster a Culture of Integrity and Trust: When an organization visibly prioritizes compliance and ethics from an employee’s first day, it sends a powerful cultural message. It says: we value doing the right thing. This helps build a culture of integrity where employees at all levels understand that following rules and acting ethically are core to the business. Employees who know why policies exist and how they benefit everyone are more likely to follow them. Over time, this yields better decision-making and fewer ethical lapses. Additionally, new hires gain confidence that they won’t inadvertently step out of line, they trust that the company has given them the tools to make the right choices. A compliance-first approach also demonstrates care for employees’ well-being (e.g. safety training shows you value their health) and respect for diversity and inclusion (through anti-harassment and bias training). All of this can boost morale and loyalty. Remember, culture is often cited as a unique identifier of successful companies, and onboarding is your chance to imprint positive cultural values. By emphasizing accountability and ethics at the start, you cultivate employees who take pride in integrity, and who will represent the company well.
  
• Enhance Employee Engagement and Preparedness: Interestingly, focusing on compliance early on can actually improve new hire engagement when done right. Rather than scaring or boring new employees, good compliance training helps them feel empowered and prepared. They come away knowing what is expected and how to succeed within guidelines, which reduces anxiety. Moreover, seeing that the company takes their training seriously (and isn’t leaving them to “figure things out” in a legal/policy sense) increases confidence. New hires who feel properly trained are more likely to be productive faster and satisfied in their jobs. There’s also evidence that a structured onboarding (including covering compliance) correlates with higher commitment, employees are significantly more dedicated and engaged when they feel their onboarding was comprehensive and meaningful. In an “awareness-stage” onboarding, compliance training can be interactive and informative, sparking curiosity about the company’s operations and industry rules. When employees understand the why behind policies (for example, how following safety procedures keeps everyone productive and safe), they become more engaged stewards of those policies.
  
• Improve Regulatory Leniency and Defense: Another often overlooked benefit: if something does go wrong down the line, having provided compliance training can protect the company. Regulators and courts may view the organization more favorably if it can demonstrate proactive training and good-faith efforts to educate staff. In fact, under U.S. federal guidelines, companies that actively inform employees of legal and ethical obligations are more likely to receive leniency in regulatory review when violations occur. In other words, showing that you trained your people can mitigate penalties because it indicates the issue was not due to willful neglect. Early compliance onboarding, documented and consistent, becomes a line of defense, you can prove that an employee’s misconduct was against training and policy, positioning it as a rogue act rather than institutional negligence. This could reduce fines or legal liability. While the goal is to prevent incidents altogether, this is a valuable insurance policy benefit of compliance-first onboarding.
  

In summary, prioritizing compliance training yields a win-win: the organization reduces risk and cost, while employees gain clarity, confidence, and a principled workplace. It sets the stage for ethical behavior, legal compliance, and high performance as the norm. As a global consideration, note that if you operate across multiple regions or countries, early compliance training is even more crucial, it’s how you ensure a distributed workforce all understands local laws and company standards. Whether it’s data privacy rules in the EU or OSHA requirements in the US, a thorough compliance onboarding ensures no one is left ignorant of critical obligations. The result is a workforce that’s not only skilled but also trustworthy and aligned with the company’s values and legal responsibilities.

What exactly should “compliance training” encompass during onboarding? Since our audience spans all industries, from tech to finance to manufacturing, the specific courses will vary, but there are common core topics that virtually every new employee should be trained on. Here are some key compliance areas that must come first in onboarding:

• Workplace Harassment and Discrimination: Anti-harassment training is essential for establishing a safe, respectful work environment. Given the prevalence of issues brought to light by movements like #MeToo, many jurisdictions mandate sexual harassment prevention training for employees early in their tenure (some require it within 30 days or 6 months of hiring, for example). This training covers what constitutes harassment, how to report it, and promotes a culture of respect. Why first? Because no one should start a job without knowing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. The statistics underscore the need: roughly 81% of women have experienced workplace harassment and a majority of incidents go unreported. Early training empowers all employees to prevent and respond to harassment, protecting individuals and the company. Similarly, diversity and inclusion training often accompanies this topic, educating new hires on unconscious bias and how to work in a diverse team. Diverse organizations have been shown to financially outperform homogenous ones, but only if inclusion is part of the culture. Training on day one about inclusion sets that tone.
  
• Code of Conduct and Ethics: Every organization should introduce its code of conduct or ethics guidelines to new hires immediately. This might be through an employee handbook or a dedicated training module. The code of conduct covers the company’s values, expected behaviors (like honesty, integrity, compliance with laws), and often specific policies (confidentiality, use of company assets, etc.). From the first day of employment, it must be clear what behavior and language are, and are not, appropriate. New hires should understand that their actions reflect on the company’s reputation and that ethical conduct is a priority. Covering this early also gives an opportunity to explain how to handle ethical dilemmas and report concerns (whistleblower channels). Importantly, organizations that thoroughly train their workforce on legal and ethical obligations may receive leniency if a violation happens, a strong incentive to ensure everyone gets this training at onboarding.
  
• Safety and Health Compliance: For companies in industries like manufacturing, construction, healthcare, or any environment with physical risks, safety training is non-negotiable on day one. New employees should complete OSHA or industry-specific safety orientations before they even set foot on the shop floor or site alone. This could include training on equipment operation, emergency procedures, personal protective equipment, and reporting injuries or hazards. Workplace safety is both a legal requirement and a moral obligation, and early training can literally be life-saving. Even in office settings, a basic safety briefing (fire exits, ergonomics, etc.) is valuable. Beyond physical safety, organizations should also address any health compliance needs (e.g. hygiene protocols, especially relevant in the post-COVID era or in food handling businesses). Remember that some safety incidents have legal implications, an untrained worker’s accident could become an OSHA violation or negligence lawsuit. Training new hires helps avoid these incidents and demonstrates due diligence.
  
• Data Security and Privacy: In today’s digital world, cybersecurity and data protection training are vital for nearly all employees (not just IT staff). Many security breaches and privacy incidents trace back to human error, clicking phishing emails, using weak passwords, mishandling customer data, etc. Training new hires on good cyber hygiene (strong passwords, recognizing phishing attempts, proper data handling) should be an early agenda item, often within the first day or week. This is especially true if the employee will have access to sensitive systems or data. The rationale is simple: one careless moment by an uninformed employee can lead to a massive breach. Indeed, over half of companies have experienced a security incident due to a negligent or malicious employee. New hire IT security training, often called Security Awareness Training, reduces that risk by making employees aware of threats and their role in preventing them. Additionally, compliance with laws like GDPR or HIPAA should be highlighted if relevant, e.g. employees must know the importance of protecting personal data to avoid regulatory fines.
  
• Anti-Corruption and Regulatory Compliance: Depending on your industry, there may be specific regulatory trainings required. For example, finance or government contractors need ethics and anti-corruption training (to comply with laws like the FCPA). Healthcare workers need HIPAA training. Retail or restaurants may need training on theft prevention or liquor law compliance. Identify what laws apply to your business and ensure new hires receive training accordingly. A common universal topic is anti-bribery and anti-corruption. As enforcement has ramped up globally, companies are held liable for corrupt acts of employees and even third-party partners, if employees should have known about them. Training at onboarding about gifts, entertainment, conflicts of interest, and how to report suspicious activity helps protect the company. Regulators (like the U.S. DOJ) explicitly give credit to companies that implement compliance programs in good faith, meaning early training and continuous reinforcement can potentially reduce penalties if a bribery incident is uncovered.
  
• Other Policy Mandatories: Finally, there are a host of other policies that new hires often must read and acknowledge. These include things like: attendance and timekeeping policies, confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements, acceptable use of company technology, social media guidelines, and any industry-specific conduct rules (e.g. research ethics, patient consent in healthcare, etc.). Many organizations provide an onboarding checklist of forms and trainings that cover these items. It’s best practice to include all required compliance documents in the new hire welcome packet and have employees sign off that they understand them. Modern onboarding software can streamline this, ensuring nothing is missed and everything is documented.
  

By covering the above topics, you address the “Compliance” component of onboarding comprehensively. Notably, HR experts often refer to the “Four C’s” of onboarding: Compliance, Clarification, Culture, and Connection. Compliance is listed first for a reason, it’s the foundational layer, the baseline that must be established before moving on to clarifying job roles, integrating into culture, and building relationships. Ensuring your new hires complete these essential compliance trainings first will make the subsequent onboarding steps much smoother and more effective. In practical terms, some organizations schedule an orientation day or half-day where all new employees (e.g. in a given week) go through these compliance topics together, often led by HR or Compliance officers. This might involve presentations, e-learning modules, discussions, and quizzes to verify understanding.

Crucially, make the training engaging and relevant, use real-world scenarios, case studies, or interactive e-learning so that employees aren’t just passively absorbing rules but actively thinking about how to apply them. You can even share anecdotes (or cautionary tales) of what happens when compliance is ignored to drive the point home (for example, describing how a lack of safety training led to an incident elsewhere, or how swift reporting of a concern prevented a bigger issue). By investing this effort up front, you show new hires that compliance isn’t just bureaucracy, it’s part of how your team works together responsibly.

Making compliance training the first item in onboarding is important, but how can organizations do this in a way that is effective and not overwhelming? Here are some best practices to ensure your compliance-first onboarding is successful and well-received:

1. Plan a Day-One Compliance Orientation: Structure your onboarding schedule such that Day 1 includes core compliance activities. Many companies find it effective to conduct a “New Hire Orientation” on the morning of an employee’s first day (or within the first couple of days) that covers introductions and essential trainings. For example, one guide suggests that on Day 1, after basic welcome and introductions, you should “cover ... compliance training” as a key agenda item. By doing this right away, you reinforce its importance. You can balance the day with lighter activities too (tours, meet-and-greets) so it’s not all heavy content, but don’t push compliance off to week two. Some organizations handle paperwork and compliance briefing in the first half of Day 1, then move to team and job-specific topics after lunch, this ensures the serious stuff is addressed while the new hire is fresh.‍

2. Use Engaging Training Methods: Compliance topics can be dense, so leverage modern training techniques to keep new hires engaged. Use a mix of formats: interactive e-learning modules, short videos, live discussions, and practical exercises or role-plays. For instance, harassment training might include scenario discussions or an interactive quiz. Security training could gamify spotting phishing emails. The goal is to avoid a dull, checkbox feel. When training is engaging, it not only holds attention better, but employees retain the information. Also encourage questions, new hires should feel safe asking for clarification on policies or what-if scenarios. If possible, provide supplemental resources (like a handbook or online knowledge base) that employees can refer back to after the training. Clarity is key: eliminate jargon and explain concepts in plain language so everyone understands expectations. A well-trained employee is one who not only sat through a session, but who truly grasps what to do or not do.

3. Integrate Culture and Connection into Compliance Training: Although compliance is a serious topic, it can be woven into the broader cultural onboarding rather than handled in isolation. Emphasize the why behind each rule in terms of company values. For example, frame your code of conduct training as “this is how we uphold integrity and treat each other, which is central to our culture of respect.” When talking about safety or security, reinforce that “we care about our people and customers, so we all share responsibility for their safety and privacy.” This helps new hires see compliance as aligned with a positive mission, not just a list of don’ts. Moreover, involve leaders or mentors in the training if possible. A short welcome by a senior leader underscoring the importance of ethics or safety can make a strong impression (leadership involvement shows it truly matters to the organization). You can also pair new hires with a buddy or mentor for post-training follow-up, someone they can go to with questions as they apply the policies in real situations. This Connection element ensures they’re not left alone to figure out nuanced compliance questions.

4. Ensure Consistency and Document Everything: A compliance-first onboarding only works if it is applied consistently to all employees and locations. Develop a standardized checklist or curriculum for compliance training that every new hire goes through, whether they’re a junior staffer or an executive, in-office or remote. Consistency sets a common baseline of knowledge. Keep records of completed trainings and signed acknowledgments of policies, this is critical not only for internal tracking but also to demonstrate compliance if audited. Many companies use onboarding software or Learning Management Systems (LMS) to assign and track training modules for new hires. Automated reminders and tracking can ensure nothing falls through the cracks, especially in large enterprises. Additionally, stay up-to-date: have a process to regularly update training content as laws change or new company policies are adopted. For example, if a new data protection law comes into effect, incorporate it into the onboarding materials immediately. Subscribing to compliance update bulletins (from sources like the Department of Labor or industry regulators) can help keep your content current. Regular internal audits of your onboarding process are also wise, perhaps annually, have HR and compliance review the onboarding checklist to ensure all current legal requirements are covered.‍

5. Schedule Early but Don’t Overwhelm: While we advocate front-loading compliance, be mindful of cognitive overload. The first day is a blur for new employees. If you dump a 4-hour compliance lecture on them with no breaks, retention will suffer. Instead, break the training into manageable segments and use the first week strategically. Certain critical topics (like harassment prevention, safety, code of conduct) should be Day 1 or 2. Others can be day 3 or within the first week. You might prioritize by risk, e.g., a new sales hire might need data privacy training before they ever handle client info, but perhaps their detailed anti-corruption course can be on day 3 instead of day 1. Provide a roadmap so the employee knows what trainings are coming and by when. If any training is not completed on the first day, schedule it within the first week or 10 days at most. Also, mix in some lighter orientation elements between heavy training sessions on the schedule. This pacing ensures compliance is prioritized early without burning out the new hire.

6. Reinforce and Build On It: Onboarding doesn’t end after week one. Compliance training should be the first step in an ongoing process of education and reinforcement. Consider sending follow-up quizzes or refresher emails later in the new hire’s first month to remind them of key points (studies show spaced repetition improves retention). Encourage managers to check in on whether the employee has questions about any policy after they’ve been on the job a few weeks. And of course, beyond onboarding, maintain an annual or periodic compliance training program for all employees so knowledge stays fresh. The onboarding compliance training will then fit into this larger cycle, giving new hires a head start. The message to employees is that compliance and ethical conduct are continuous priorities, not one-and-done. This continuous reinforcement is part of building that strong culture of integrity and accountability.

By implementing these best practices, HR professionals, CISOs, and business leaders can ensure that compliance training isn’t just a mandatory tick-box at onboarding, but a meaningful, effective launchpad for each employee’s tenure. The result is a smarter onboarding process, one where employees quickly become productive and operate within the guardrails that protect everyone.

In today’s complex business landscape, organizations cannot afford to treat compliance training as an afterthought. Employee onboarding will be smarter and more secure when compliance training comes first, serving as the foundation for all other learning and integration. By addressing legal responsibilities, safety, ethics, and company policies at the outset, you send a powerful message to new hires: doing things the right way is core to our identity. This not only reduces the likelihood of costly compliance failures, but also builds trust, employees trust that they won’t unknowingly misstep, and leadership trusts that their team understands the boundaries.

A compliance-first approach to onboarding is ultimately about setting everyone up for success. New employees who receive early guidance can confidently contribute, knowing the rules of the road. They become fully functioning team members faster and with fewer corrections, boosting overall productivity and engagement. Meanwhile, the organization benefits from a workforce that acts with integrity and caution, safeguarding the company’s reputation and assets. The payoff can be seen in everything from lower turnover to higher efficiency and fewer disruptions. Remember, studies have shown that organizations with well-structured onboarding (which includes compliance and clarification of expectations) enjoy higher retention and even stronger financial performance.

Compliance training might not have the flash of other onboarding events, but it is the bedrock of an effective onboarding program. It lays down the rules of the game, so everyone from HR to the CISO can be confident that new hires know how to keep themselves and the company out of harm’s way. And as much as compliance is about rules, at its heart it’s about values, fostering a culture where employees do the right thing even when no one is watching. By championing compliance on day one, you cultivate a workforce that not only avoids wrongdoings, but proactively upholds the company’s standards and contributes to an ethical, compliant culture.

In conclusion, employee onboarding smarter means being strategic about what you teach first. Lead with compliance training to protect your people and your business. It’s an educational, professional, and ultimately empowering start for your new talent. The first step of the journey ensures every subsequent step can be taken with confidence and integrity, paving the way for long-term success for both the employee and the organization.

FAQ

What is compliance-first onboarding?

Compliance-first onboarding is the practice of starting new employee training with essential legal, ethical, and policy requirements before role-specific duties or team introductions. It ensures that new hires know the rules, regulations, and expectations from their first day.

Why should compliance training be the first step in onboarding?

Starting with compliance training sets clear expectations, reduces legal and safety risks, and fosters a culture of integrity. It also ensures employees operate within laws and company policies before performing their job tasks.

What are the risks of delaying compliance training?

Delaying compliance training can lead to legal penalties, safety incidents, reputational damage, operational disruptions, and cultural issues like harassment or misconduct. The cost of non-compliance is often far higher than investing in early training.

What topics should be included in compliance onboarding?

Key topics include workplace harassment and discrimination, code of conduct, safety and health regulations, data security and privacy, anti-corruption policies, and any industry-specific regulatory requirements.

How can companies make compliance training engaging for new hires?

Use interactive modules, videos, real-world case studies, and discussions to make compliance training practical and relatable. Breaking content into manageable sessions and explaining the “why” behind policies helps maintain engagement and retention.