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If cybersecurity is a concern for your business (and if not, it should be), one of the best ways to protect yourself is to ensure all of your employees are following the proper procedures and know what to look out for. But how do you do that effectively? Our cybersecurity partner, OrbitalFire, provides these tips on how your employees can help protect your data.
It’s no secret.
No matter how many times we say “don’t click that,” someone still will. But here’s the good news: with the right mindset, some smart training, and a little creativity, your people can become your strongest defense.
Here are 7 employee awareness tips to help you build a Culture of Security without putting everyone to sleep.
1. Establish the Right Goals
Before you launch a security awareness program, stop and ask: What are we trying to accomplish?
Security isn’t a one-size-fits-all checklist. Understand your business, culture, risk tolerance, and your regulatory landscape. Then set achievable goals that feel like opportunities and not obstacles. An achievable goal creates a sense of opportunity for the team!
2. Set Clear Expectations
From day one, employees should know exactly what’s expected regarding cybersecurity.
Integrate cybersecurity responsibilities into job descriptions, onboarding, and performance reviews. Define what’s acceptable and what’s not, and integrate these into the company culture.
3. Mandate Training (and Make It Matter)
If employees aren’t doing their training, the issue probably isn’t laziness. There’s usually a broken process or expectations problem.
Start building a Culture of Security during onboarding. Make a training routine, make testing frequent, and tie it to evaluations.
4. Use Carrots, Not Sticks
Nobody learns well under a microscope. Instead of shaming mistakes, reward success. Public recognition, gamified training, and a little swag go a long way.
Recognize top performers and turn training into a friendly competition. Never underestimate what people will do for bragging rights and a coffee gift card.
5. Never Waste a Crisis
When an incident happens, big or small, use it as a learning opportunity.
Talk openly about what went wrong, what it impacted, and how it can be prevented next time. Involve the team in the solution. Ownership builds awareness. Awareness builds resilience.
6. Have Some Fun With It
Yes, cybersecurity is serious. But training doesn’t have to be boring.
Add humor, memes, and mini-games to your modules. Hold a “Phish Bowl” competition. Print posters that make people stop and think. If they’re laughing, they’re learning.
7. Conduct Regular Incident Response Tabletops
Simulations aren’t just for big enterprises. Tabletop exercises build muscle memory, so when the real thing happens, your team doesn’t freeze.
Make them regular, low-stakes, and inclusive. Your people don’t have to be techies to be part of the defense.
Final Thought: Culture > Compliance
If you’re only training your team to check a box, you’re not building a true Culture of Security, which means investing in people, not just policies.
Start with one of these tips. Then another. Before you know it, your team will avoid risk and help shut it down.
Download a cybersecurity employee awareness guide.
Need help getting started? Contact OrbitalFire.
GTM’s Cybersecurity Practices
Security is integral to our operations. It’s at the core of what we do with multiple layers of protection embedded into our products, processes, and infrastructure.
Our state-of-the-art security measures are designed to safeguard your data from unauthorized access and cyber threats. We employ a robust combination of physical, administrative, and technical controls, including advanced encryption technologies, continuous network monitoring, and strict access controls, ensuring your data is protected around the clock.
GTM undergoes annual security assessments conducted by the New York State Department of Financial Services and adheres to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) cybersecurity standards. GTM also undergoes several third-party audits, including SOC 1, Nacha, and financial statement audits.
Cyber and Data Breach Liability Insurance
As an additional security measure, cyber and data breach liability insurance is available to cover costs in the event of a cyberattack or data breach. A cyber liability and data breach insurance policy can help if your business’s computers are infected with a virus that exposes private or sensitive information, your business is sued for losing customers’ sensitive data, or your business incurs public relations costs to protect its reputation after a data breach.
If you are interested in cyber and data breach insurance, the GTM Insurance Agency can discuss your options. Contact them for a free quote or more information.
