Lost in Translation: Why Staff Miss Policy Updates (and How Intranets Fix It)
By SimplifyIT | Published
"We emailed it. We trained on it. We even put it in the handbook. But staff still didn't follow it."
If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. Policies don't fail because people don't care - they fail because updates get lost in translation.
The Real Problem: Updates That Don't Land
Most banks and credit unions still rely on email blasts, file shares, or staff meetings to deliver policy updates. But inboxes overflow, shared drives are messy, and meetings get missed. Even when the message goes out, it doesn't always stick.
The result? Frontline staff use outdated steps. Compliance officers scramble at audit time. And leadership is left wondering why nobody is following the new process.
The Risk of Missed Policy Updates
- Staff continue using outdated procedures, creating compliance risk
- Auditors ask for proof of distribution - and you don't have it
- Critical changes (like fraud prevention steps) don't reach the frontline in time
- Managers waste time chasing acknowledgments by email or paper
It's not that the updates aren't written. It's that they're not delivered, confirmed, and trusted.
The Fix: Deliver, Confirm, Prove
A modern intranet makes sure policy updates don't just get sent - they get seen, confirmed, and tracked:
- Acknowledgment Tracking: staff confirm they've read it, so you know who's seen what
- Targeted Notifications: updates reach only the roles and branches that need them
- Audit Trails: prove to regulators when updates went live and who acknowledged them
When updates land with clarity, the gap between writing a new policy and staff following it disappears.
The Ripple Effect of Doing It Right
When updates stick, you don't just improve compliance - you improve culture:
- Staff feel confident they're always following the latest steps
- Managers stop chasing acknowledgments and reminders
- Audits become smoother with digital proof of distribution
- Service improves because frontline staff aren't guessing
Trust isn't just built with customers and members - it starts with how you keep your staff aligned.