Why quarterly compliance is Important for Small Businesses
Business compliance as a service is a generic term for the way a business follows the rules and regulations governing its particular industry. It does not necessarily follow that there are only one hundred regulations per million in the United States alone. No one starts a business in order to be employers. But as your business expands, inevitably, you take people along on the journey with you, all the while subjecting them to the same business-related risks.
At the same time, it is also inevitable that you have to comply with
increasingly complicated regulatory frameworks over time. As a result, your business can quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer number of regulations and you may find yourself at the mercy of the various authorities (regulations from multiple agencies and/or government agencies). It can also be a hassle to keep up with all these different regulations because of the ever-changing environment of business, forcing you to make constant adjustments to your business model in order to remain compliant. Ultimately, it is expensive for business owners and this is why they seek out external compliance assistance.
External compliance specialists provide organizations with the kind of specialized support required in situations such as business compliance. They not only manage business compliance internally but also monitor and report on the compliance process. Their help is essential in compliance monitoring. Corporate compliance refers to the obligations set by companies to ensure that the activities of their internal and external operations are in line with the policies and principles laid down by government agencies.
When a business decides to go for corporate compliance, it means that it has made a good faith effort to be compliant with the applicable regulations. This good faith effort needs to continue year after year and it is not enough to just establish a corporate veil once. The company has to sustain the status for years to come. Corporate compliance is not easy and it takes time, money and dedication. In fact, some companies suffer for several years before they finally become fully compliant. So, how does one achieve good standing?
The first step in achieving good standing for your business is to develop a corporate compliance policy. The purpose of developing a policy is to lay down rules and regulations related to your business and to implement them. The next step is to identify those organizations that are most likely to come into contact with the business. Then, ensure that you keep in touch with them frequently so that your policies and regulations remain current. Finally, get in touch with your employees so that you know how to comply with your corporate compliance policy.
Corporate compliance policies are usually implemented at the local,
regional or national level. The latter can involve several regulations such as those related to taxes or licensing regulations. Some of the major regulations include those related to employee health benefits, employment law, anti-spamming regulations and even financial regulations. Businesses are required to follow these regulations strictly since they are formulated by government bodies such as the FDA or even other government agencies. Otherwise, businesses risk getting fined or even shut down.
- Not all business owners bother to follow these laws and this is why many businesses fail to meet their legal compliance requirements.
- Even if you have a strong organizational culture, it is important to maintain proper business records and employee files.
- Without them, it is not possible to determine whether you have followed your corporate compliance policy or not.
Employees are the key to detecting any improper procedures or activities in your business. Therefore, employees need to be made aware of the importance of maintaining proper business records and making sure that everything is in order at all times.
Another important factor that businesses should consider is holding annual meetings to discuss the regulations. This helps business owners to understand them better and in turn, they can follow them correctly. Businesses should hold annual meetings at least once a year and some prefer to meet more frequently. If you find it difficult to remember dates or just don’t feel like making the effort to attend annual meetings, you can simply make use of a calendar or scheduling software to set up meetings online instead. By meeting your compliance requirements quarterly, you will not only be complying with the law but you can also ensure that your business is on track.