Few can deny just how computerized our society at large has become. Barely a few decades ago, the pinnacle of “digital” in our lives was an electronic wristwatch or perhaps a video game console waiting to be booted up back at home. These days, however, the proliferation of the internet, computers, and other “smart” systems has resulted in a world where previously unheard-of levels of interconnectivity became the new norm, no longer simply a dream of futurists and science fiction authors.
Naturally, such a level of digitization brought about new challenges, such as cyber security threats to businesses. Weirdly enough, despite the inherent dangers posed by them, many employees seem to consider security awareness training as unnecessary, never giving it their full attention.
Fortunately for your company, there are numerous ways to make your workforce take such training seriously. These include making cybersecurity a team effort and a part of your company culture, offering financial incentives for finishing such training, or even demonstrating the threat by having a mock cyberattack on your company. Explore the tips below and learn how to convince your employees to treat the matter at hand seriously!
Integrate Security Awareness Training Into Company Culture
The first step you need to take in order to get your employees to take security awareness training seriously is to integrate it into your company culture, meaning that you should start by establishing a clear set of rules and guidelines regarding cybersecurity in place.
This includes making sure that everyone knows what is considered acceptable or unacceptable when it comes to using company equipment and tools, regardless of whether it’s something simple as communication software or more complex solutions like computer-aided software engineering (CASE). In addition, it is crucial to explain how to report anything that seems suspicious or inappropriate.
Once you establish these rules, ensure that everyone follows them – including your managers and executives. That being said, you should not come across as an authoritarian who simply wants to take away all your employees’ fun. Instead, try taking a friendly approach towards corporate security, thus making it something that everyone looks forward to.
Make Training a Group Activity
Another great way to make your employees treat cybersecurity training seriously is to turn this into an opportunity for them to learn about security together. This will also make the process less tedious for them since they will be able to discuss it with their colleagues – sharing ideas and tips on keeping your company safe from cyber threats. If you have a relatively small staff or want to really emphasize the importance of the matter at hand, consider setting up a computer lab for all of your employees to use.
Alternatively, you could arrange for some sort of team competition, such as a prize for whoever comes up with the best tip on how to boost cyber security measures. In any case, make sure that you let your employees know that they can discuss these topics at lunch or after hours – making them more eager to participate in the training sessions you provide.
Offer Financial Incentives for Completing Security Awareness Training
If you are having trouble convincing your employees to take security awareness training seriously, you may want to offer them some financial incentives for doing so. This can be done by giving them a bonus once they finish one of the courses you offer, or by providing some sort of gift card or voucher they can spend on themselves.
This way, they will feel appreciated, which is crucial if you want them to adopt a positive attitude towards corporate security. Additionally, offering some sort of incentive will encourage them to actually take the time to complete the course – especially if they have lots of other tasks on their hands.
Plan a Mock Cyberattack on Your Company
Finally, another great way of making your employees take corporate security seriously is by conducting a mock cyberattack on your company. This way, you will make them realize just how serious a threat of cybercrime is and how it can affect them personally. Additionally, you can use such an attack to demonstrate the ins and outs of data encryption and the importance of keeping your company’s data safe from prying eyes.
You can even go so far as to replicate the effects of a real-life cyber attack on your company – making your employees feel as if they were actually being hacked. This way, they will be able to prepare themselves for such an event, should it ever happen in real life. For this purpose, it is advisable to work with cybersecurity professionals to ensure that your company’s data remains secure during such testing.
In Conclusion
As you can see, there are numerous ways to get your employees to take security awareness training seriously. In the end, the best way of doing so is to make sure that they understand just how important it is and how it can affect them both professionally and personally, and your company as a whole.
After all, cybercrimes are on the rise, and what better way to prepare for it than by making sure your workforce does the training they need to stay safe? Good luck and stay secure!
