In-house vs. compliance training partners | Learning Pool

Consider this: 65% of people regularly reuse passwords—even though 91% of people know it’s risky. That’s not a tech problem. It’s a behavior problem.

The same applies across compliance: from handling sensitive data to managing conflicts of interest or treating colleagues with respect. Most employees know what the right thing is. But in the moment, when an actual situation arises, that knowledge has to translate into action. That’s where training comes in—not to “raise awareness,” but to close the gap between knowing and doing.

Whether you're focused on cybersecurity, anti-harassment, or anti-corruption, effective compliance training doesn’t just teach—it equips employees to make better decisions when it counts. And that raises a common strategic question: Should you build training in-house, or partner with an expert?

The case for staying in-house

There are understandable reasons some organizations consider building training internally—especially if they have sizable compliance, HR, or L&D teams. Internally developed training can feel:

• Fiscally attractive in theory, with fewer vendor contracts to manage
• Specific to your organization, because content is developed directly by people close to your operations
• Convenient to update, especially when teams want quick turnarounds on policy changes

But there’s a trade-off. Many teams quickly realize that maintaining effective, up-to-date training at scale—across roles, risk areas, and jurisdictions—is more complex, time-consuming, and resource-heavy than expected. And without the right tools, it’s easy to rely on surface-level metrics like completions or hotline volume—instead of the predictive data that actually helps you spot risk before it escalates.

The advantage of the right partner

Working with a strong training partner isn’t just about outsourcing content—it’s about elevating your program and reducing internal strain. A great partner brings:

• Expert-designed content grounded in behavioral science, real-world risk, and adult learning principles.
• Adaptive training that adjusts to the learner in real-time based on their performance—as well as an ability to tailor content based on  role and risk.
• Ongoing course updates that reflect evolving laws, expectations, and workplace norms.
• A complete training ecosystem, including microlearning, simulations, video, and AI Conversations.
• Localization and accessibility support to ensure global reach without added complexity.
• Analytics and insight that go beyond completion data to help you identify knowledge gaps and focus your resources.
• Customizable content that reflects your organization’s policies, operations, and culture—with options to tailor existing material or create bespoke experiences from the ground up.

At Learning Pool, we invest in keeping our content fresh, relevant, and impactful—so your team doesn’t have to start from scratch each year or scramble to address emerging risks.

What about ROI?

It’s easy to assume in-house is more affordable. But when you factor in staff time, content development, testing, updating, and maintenance—not to mention the cost of ineffective training—the numbers tell a different story.

Partnering with a provider like Learning Pool can deliver:

• Stronger behavioral outcomes and risk reduction
• More efficient use of internal resources
• Better alignment with regulator expectations
• Proven seat time savings through proprietary adaptive technology
• Less reliance on one-time training and more reinforcement throughout the year

In other words, better outcomes—without burning out your internal team.

Final thought: Training is only as strong as its impact

Compliance teams have enough to manage without becoming full-time instructional designers. Training that doesn’t drive behavior change is a drain on time, budget, and credibility. But with the right partner, training becomes a strategic asset—supporting your culture, your risk profile, and your people.

Want to see how we help leading organizations deliver compliance training that actually works?
Get in touch today to speak to one of our compliance experts. 

Carly Chasin, Director of Compliance Insights & Strategy, helps customers build and evolve their compliance training strategy.

With a background in education and compliance, her focus is delivering effective, pedagogically sound training that engages learners and aligns with organizational program needs.