How can I get fee earners to take compliance seriously?

Instead of warning them about fines, show them how good compliance is as a commercial benefit. Frame it as "safe, smooth transactions get completed faster." When your team sees compliance as a vital part of a successful outcome, they're more likely to engage.

What is a positive compliance culture?

A positive compliance culture is one where the whole firm views compliance as a shared goal, not just a "police" function. It’s built on trust, where fee earners feel comfortable approaching the compliance team for guidance to protect the client and the firm together as one.

What's a simple first step to improve our compliance culture?

Start by changing your language. Try rebranding your department from "compliance" to "safety." Instead of asking, "Is this compliant?", ask, "How do we do this safely ?" This small shift reframes the goal as a shared one and makes your team a partner, not a blocker.

Three communication tips to help transform your compliance culture

We recently brought together senior compliance professionals for a series of roundtable discussions, and a common theme emerged: the daily struggle to build a positive compliance culture.

Does this sound familiar? You spend your days chasing fee earners for information, you feel like the company police, and your team is seen as a blocker to getting business done. It's a frustrating and isolating experience.

You know the rules are there to protect the firm and its clients, but it feels like you're in a constant battle to get everyone else on board. The good news is that changing this perception doesn't require a huge new budget or a complex system. Often, the biggest change comes from shifting how you communicate.

Here are three simple, peer-tested communication tips that can help transform your firm’s culture.

1. Rebrand "Compliance" as "Safety"

The word "compliance" can be a problem. For many, it triggers a negative emotional response, suggesting restrictive rules and a lack of trust. The word "safety," however, does the opposite: it suggests a shared goal and a team working together to protect something valuable.

As a result, people tend to have a more positive reaction to the word "safety" than they do to "compliance." This simple language shift can reframe the entire goal from rule-following to collective protection.

How to do it:

Instead of saying: "We need to do this to be compliant."
Try saying: "How can we do this transaction safely for the client and the firm?"

This small change moves the conversation from "us vs. them" to "us vs. the criminals," getting everyone on the same side.

2. Focus on the benefit, not the fear

Warning people about fines and regulatory action can seem like a good motivator, but it often backfires. Scaring people can create a culture of fear and paralysis rather than one of proactive engagement. A far more effective approach is to frame compliance as a direct commercial benefit.

How to do it:

Connect compliance directly to successful outcomes. Explain how robust checks lead to smoother transactions, fewer last-minute issues, and a stronger firm reputation. Frame compliance not as a cost centre that slows things down, but as a vital part of the process that ensures everyone gets to a successful, secure completion.

3. Be vulnerable to build trust

It’s easy to be seen as a distant enforcer, especially when you’re the one rolling out constant new regulations. But the truth is, those changes are often as overwhelming for you as they are for your team.

Leaning into this shared frustration is the key to breaking down the "us vs. them" barrier. It’s crucial to be seen as human and relatable. Admitting that you're navigating the same complex world builds trust. It's okay to agree with your team that a new rule feels frustrating before explaining why it must be followed.

This simple shift reframes the entire conversation. It’s no longer "compliance vs. the firm," but "everyone vs. the changing regulations" and, ultimately, "everyone vs. the fraudsters." This is especially true during compliance training. The goal of a session isn't to make everyone a legislative expert. The real goal is for your colleagues to leave feeling safe enough to come to you when something feels wrong or they're unsure what to do.

How to do it:

Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. If you don't know the answer to a question, say so. If a particular regulation seems overly frustrating, it's okay to agree with your team that it feels that way, before explaining why it must be followed. Admitting that you're navigating the same complex world as they are builds that trust. When your team sees you as a supportive guide rather than a detached enforcer, they are far more likely to approach you for help, and that is what truly keeps a firm safe.

Conclusion

Building a better compliance culture doesn't happen overnight, but it doesn't need to be an uphill battle. You don't need a new system or a bigger budget; you just need to change the conversation.

By reframing compliance as safety, focusing on shared commercial goals, and building trust as a human guide, you can start to break down those "us vs. them" barriers. These simple shifts in communication are the first step in moving your team from a blocker to a valued partner, helping everyone work together to keep the firm and your clients safe.