By Frank Ruelas
Facility Compliance Professional, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center/Dignity Health
We’ve all been there. Our organizations have well publicized policies on how to report compliance related concerns. There are routine notifications that are sent to the workforce on how everyone may report concerns anonymously and with no fear of retaliation. Efforts and arrangements are made to have “Compliance” at staff meetings where positive messaging about the organization’s communication channels and how to report issues are presented. There are even professionally done, colorful, eye catching posters that display the hotline number and catchy phrases on when to use the hotline, yet the hotline phone remains relatively silent as a function of the time and effort made to promote its use.
Enter the power of gold foil wrapped chocolate covered peanut butter cups and their positive impact to the reporting of issues and concerns in support of an effective compliance program.
At an organization where I was centrally located for ease of access by staff and where every opportunity was made to deliver the “open door policy” message to everyone that they could stop by the Compliance Office anytime for any reason, the chairs for use by visitors to my office collected little more than dust.
Then one day I thought to myself to try something. At one new employee orientation session I provided my usual and customary messaging on all that is Compliance. Then I added before my offering of well wishes to the new employees for a successful career that on my desk I had a popular brand of chocolate covered peanut butter cups and anyone and everyone was invited to come by “whenever they liked for whatever reason”.
Within a week, I had people coming to my office and saying “Frank, I heard you have some chocolate peanut butter cups because one of the new employees in my department told us.” They would help themselves to one of the chocolates and off they would go. Little did I expect what would happen next. Within the next two weeks more people would come by for chocolate but something interesting was happening. People were now taking a piece of chocolate, sitting themselves down, and offering that since they were in my office, they would like to tell me about something they had been meaning to report but had not for whatever reason.
Soon I had to publish a public calendar, accessible by all, where people could schedule time with me throughout the week. Sometimes I would go visit people’s offices and as I walked down the hall I heard more friendly greetings than the polite smiles of acknowledgement that we typically see when we walk down a hallway. People recognized who I was and it made me get to know and see them in their own settings. Until then, I was invited to someone’s office maybe once every leap day, or so it seemed no matter what I did.
Not too long after, I received an email from the Administration Team about its proposal to update our hotline posters. When I saw the budgeted amount, I asked to meet with the Administration team and offered that for a very small fraction of the cost, if I could budget bulk purchases of the magical gold foil wrapped peanut butter cups as they were proving more effective than any poster we had to date.
After less than a few minutes, the decision was made. There would be a budgeted line item for the sweet treats that helped prompt people to visit the Compliance Officer and we would forego a campaign to design and redeploy a new poster throughout the organization. Of course, the fact that every member of the Administration Team had visited my office to share some time with “Compliance” while also having some chocolate no doubt helped.
So when looking to find ways to associate a positive experience with regards to visiting the Compliance Officer, chocolate may be an option worth exploring.
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Used to do this with students to get them to come in and share how their day was going and discuss any concerns.
Donna…I’m guessing that in the secret discussions that students at all levels have as to which instructor to take for which course…your name was probably among the top on the A-list!
Love it. Good lesson in how to make yourself approachable and build up a positive association with compliance. You can send my chocolates to me at….
This is a great idea! Thanks for sharing Frank.
Adam…bring your sweet tooth to the CI…I’ll supply the first round of chocolate!
Great idea ! I used to do the same thing but instead of using chocolate, I served a cup of a good blend of tea, and it was very effective too !
Great story Frank. I am always looking for simple ways to make myself more approachable. Thanks for sharing!
Approachability…I like that term and that which comes with it. To me communicating that one is approachable is what I would call “on paper” or in theory…approachability now that’s paydirt as to me the connotation is how do folks actually perceive just how approach you are.
Thanks for sharing! I definitely am getting more out of this than I expected.
I have been offering candy for about 15 years, though not chocolate. I have been told all kinds of compliance issues while the person paws through the candy jar to get the one they want! Such an easy way to get information!
At one time I also had Jelly Belly jelly beans, along with a little recipe card (example: pink lemonade = cotton candy + lemon)…it was not only tasty…but lots of fun…until the Infection Control practitioner shut me down.
She was worried that though I had a little spoon to serve the beans…little plastic cups for people to use…she asked if I wouldn’t mind moving to a more IC friendly “format”. that’s when I moved to chocolate covered peanut butter cups.
I always have candy in my office, both chocolate
and non-chocolate choices. It does work and when I run out, then people still stop and ask, “what happened to the candy?” That also sparks conversation. I have been personally paying for the candy, which does add up to over $10 a week, so for 2017, I’ll add it to the budget!
If you ever need to go BIG…I think when I bought the 25 lb box it had over 1,200 pieces. I ordered this size box when we had an employee training fair and people would get a piece for answering various compliance type questions. People could get a piece for every right answer…or “let it ride” and double it…and get 8 pieces as they could answer 4 questions.
Aha…a nice way to leave a favorable, lasting impression. Good idea!
I use Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate bars. I have them specially wrapped in silver foil, then in a wrapper that has our logo and a comment that says “Your treat for being compliant.” I give them away when I catch people doing something right or participating in my training.
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