by Harper Wells and Kristen Watts
When you hear the term “digital age,” what comes to mind? For many, it’s the rapid evolution of technology, particularly the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its transformative potential.
When we presented key strategies for cultivating integrity in the digital age at the Compliance & Ethics Institute last fall, many attendees in our session reported limited or no use of AI, and nearly all emphasized the foundational role of email—a tool once considered revolutionary—in compliance operations today.
This journey from skepticism to reliance underscores a critical truth: technology is just a tool. Its value lies in how we use it. AI, like email before it, has the potential to integrate seamlessly into our daily processes, transforming the way we work. By viewing tools like generative AI as enablers, we can tackle the challenges of the digital era more effectively.
But how does this relate to cultivating a culture of integrity? The answer lies in workforce engagement. In a rapidly changing world, employee engagement is vital. As a McKinsey article on the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) put it:
“Workforce engagement is vital to a successful 4IR transformation. Indeed, even a company with the best tools, newest technology, and immense resources is unlikely to scale up a 4IR transformation successfully if the workforce is not engaged.”[1]
In short, even the most advanced technologies cannot succeed without the support of engaged employees. Compliance programs play a crucial role in fostering engagement and sustaining a culture of integrity—particularly in an era of constant change. By integrating innovative technologies thoughtfully, we can build resilient organizations where ethical behavior thrives.
The challenge of change
As exciting as transformation can be, it often overwhelms the workforce. Research from Gartner shows that employees’ willingness to support organizational change dropped to just 38% in 2022, down from 74% in 2016.[2] The pace of change hasn’t slowed, and compliance professionals are feeling the impact.
Why the reluctance to change? Potential factors include:
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Lack of integration: Many compliance programs struggle to integrate new technology with existing systems, leading to fragmented or redundant processes that hinder efficiency.
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Limited understanding of AI: Misconceptions about AI’s role hinder adoption—especially in how technology can be applied effectively in compliance—leading to underutilization or misapplication of these tools.
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Resistance to change: Organizational culture can be slow to evolve, especially if employees (or compliance professionals) are accustomed to traditional compliance methods.
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Cost concerns: The perceived high cost of implementing advanced technology and AI tools can be a barrier, particularly for organizations with limited budgets or competing priorities.
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Data privacy and quality issues: Concerns about data quality, privacy, and security can deter organizations from adopting AI tools, especially if they are unsure how to manage these risks effectively.
Strategies for success
To address these challenges, compliance professionals can take actionable steps to integrate technology into their programs while fostering a culture of integrity. These strategies center on three pillars: setting a foundation, engaging middle management, and thinking like a marketer.
1. Setting a strong foundation
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Align leadership on a vision: Work with senior leaders to establish a shared vision for how emerging technologies can support compliance goals while aligning with organizational values. This tone at the top sets the stage for success.
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Provide continuous training: Leverage AI-driven tools to make compliance training more engaging and relevant. For example, employees can interact with an AI avatar to practice navigating challenging scenarios or use AI-generated custom case studies for team discussions. These tools enhance efficiency while delivering tailored content to meet your organization’s needs.
Applying these technologies doesn’t have to be complicated to create significant value. Practitioners and managers alike can create generative AI prompts to quickly develop realistic gray-area scenarios relevant to the organization. These scenarios can spark meaningful two-way dialogue, such as a compliance moment during a staff meeting. To help you get started, check out the sidebar for a sample prompt with step-by-step instructions for using the prompt within your organization’s approved large language model.
Generative AI prompt for your next compliance moment
Five steps to your compliance moment:
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Open ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, or whichever generative AI tool your company approves.
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Paste in the prompt, then fill in the blanks.
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Submit the prompt.
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Make changes to tailor it and ensure it meets your needs.
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Share it as part of a manager toolkit to get the discussion going!
Prompt
Help me write a gray area scenario in the second person.
Here are some background details that do not need to be included in the scenario:
My company is a [INDUSTRY] company that provides [PRODUCT OR SERVICE] for [CUSTOMERS], based in [LOCATION] but does much of its business in the [REGION]. Please consider the cultural norms and customs when you write the scenario.
Use this information to build the scenario:
Brainstorm a scenario where [TYPE OF EMPLOYEES] encounters a potential issue related to [ACTIVITY/RISK] in [LOCATION]. The [TYPE OF EMPLOYEES] will be [DESCRIBE RISKY ACTIVITY].
Describe the real-life scenario related to the risk. Be specific about this scenario’s ethics and compliance issues, including cultural influences. This scenario will be workshopped with the [TYPE OF EMPLOYEES].
We need to ask them questions to start the discussion. Include these questions or something similar: How should the situation be resolved to ensure compliance with our policies and values? What changes should be made going forward?
2. Engaging the “mood in the middle”
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Support middle management: Middle managers bridge the gap between senior leadership and frontline employees. Equip them with AI-created tools to enforce compliance standards while fostering open team communication. As previously mentioned, compliance teams can leverage AI to generate quick tools and resources for managers to influence in the context of their own teams, which can be modified based on their unique needs.
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Encourage dialogue: Create a culture where employees feel safe speaking up. Simplify reporting processes with user-friendly technology to ensure accessibility and transparency. Middle managers play a key role in this aspect by creating a supportive environment where employees feel comfortable reporting concerns without fear of retribution.
Additionally, it’s important to share anonymized compliance situations with both leadership and frontline employees to foster a culture of transparency and trust. Technology can support the ease with which processes are established and made available to employees and middle management alike ensuring that the process of speaking up does not become overly burdensome.
3. Thinking like a marketer
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Craft targeted messaging: Use clear, concise communications to engage employees. For example, summarize policy updates in one-page documents with bullet points explaining “what this means for me.”
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Leverage storytelling: Real-life examples make compliance relatable. Highlight positive outcomes of ethical behavior and the consequences of misconduct to reinforce key messages. And don’t be a one-way street; remember to engage in two-way dialogue.
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Use diverse channels: Distribute messages across platforms like intranets, email, and collaboration tools such as Slack or Teams. Adapt strategies based on what resonates with your organization’s culture.
Embracing technology and AI
Technology offers powerful solutions to streamline compliance processes and strengthen programs:
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Compliance software: Real-time monitoring and reporting tools enhance oversight.
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Predictive analytics: AI can identify potential risks by analyzing patterns, enabling proactive action.
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Interactive training: Gamification, virtual reality, and e-learning platforms make training engaging and impactful.
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AI for monitoring: Advanced algorithms help detect anomalies in large data sets and flag potential compliance breaches. This capability allows compliance professionals to focus attention on high-risk areas.
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Collaboration tools: Digital adoption platforms bridge communication gaps, ensuring team alignment.
Conclusion
Cultivating integrity in the digital age requires a thoughtful blend of workforce engagement, technology integration, and effective communication. Compliance professionals must embrace innovative tools while fostering a culture where ethical behavior thrives. By aligning leadership, supporting middle management, and leveraging AI, organizations can build resilient compliance programs ready to navigate the complexities of the digital era.
With these strategies in hand, compliance professionals are equipped to lead their organizations confidently, ensuring that integrity remains at the core of every decision.
Takeaways
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Engagement is essential: Technology alone cannot drive success. Engaging employees at all levels is critical to cultivating integrity in the digital age.
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Overcome resistance: Address barriers like cost, data concerns, and resistance to change through education and clear communication.
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Think strategically: Use storytelling, targeted messaging, and AI-driven insights to create a compliance culture that resonates with your workforce.
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Leverage artificial intelligence: Integrate AI into compliance programs to streamline operations, improve training, and enhance monitoring capabilities.
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Embrace continuous improvement: The digital landscape is constantly evolving. Foster a continuous learning and adaptation mindset, regularly evaluating program effectiveness and adjusting strategies as needed.
Harper Wells is a governance, risk, and compliance leader with over 20 years of experience developing enterprise-wide ethics and compliance programs. As Chief Compliance Officer at Learning Pool, she leverages data-driven insights and innovative training strategies to foster ethical, high-performing workplace cultures.
Kristen Watts is a Senior Director of Learning and Development at Koch Inc. Kristen brings experience from previous roles at Georgia-Pacific LLC and SunTrust, with a robust skill set that includes experience with learning strategy, learning technologies, compliance and ethics, internal communications, and more.
This article was originally published on Cosmos here.
Copyright 2025, CEP Magazine, a publication of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE).
