In today’s digital age, employees need to be aware of the different types of cyber-attacks. In addition they need to know how they can protect themselves and the company. That’s why security awareness training is important for employees because it helps protect the company’s data and assets. By providing security awareness training, you can help employees stay safe online and keep your business secure. This blog post will outline seven reasons why security awareness training is important for employees.
Increased Awareness
One of the biggest benefits of security awareness training is increasing employee awareness. In today’s digital age, hackers have a variety of ways to attack businesses and their employees. With so many different types of cyber-attacks occurring, it can be difficult for in-house IT to keep up with them all. By providing a consistent level of security training across your enterprise, you can help ensure that everyone is knowledgeable. At least about common attacks and how to avoid them.
It helps making better decisions
In addition to improving your employees’ overall knowledge regarding cyber security, conducting regular training sessions can also help improve business decision-making at all levels. Employees who are aware of the latest risks and best practices when accessing emails, working with vendors, and more can make decisions that help the business. With the proper training in place, employees will be able to spot suspicious emails. This minimises the risk of clicking on unsafe links.
Employees are becoming more effective
According to a study conducted by Ponemon Institute, 79% of organizations believe that security training is beneficial for employee performance and job satisfaction. When training provides information about common threats and how to avoid them, it can help employees do their jobs more efficiently and improve overall morale within the company. Training also gives businesses peace of mind. It is reassuring to know that everyone is looking out for security concerns and working towards keeping cyberattacks at bay.
Security Awareness improves productivity
As you’re probably aware, cyberattacks are very costly for businesses. First and foremost it is related to the information stolen in a data breach. However, cybercriminals can also cause downtime or damage business operations with ransomware. That’s why it’s important to invest in training and other security measures that can help prevent these issues from occurring. By improving employee awareness about cyber-attacks, businesses can see a return on their investment through improved productivity and increased productivity.
Training boosts morale
As we’ve mentioned, ongoing training can help employees do their jobs more effectively and improve overall morale within the company. But according to a study conducted by CSO, positive sentiment surrounding security awareness training also has an impact on the business as a whole. 45% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed with the statement that “security culture impacts organizational morale positively.” That means happier employees make for productive employees, which makes ongoing training worth your while.
Reinforcing policies and procedures
In addition to providing training, it’s also important for businesses to have a set of policies in place. And of course it is vital that employees know and understand them. That way, when a questionable situation arises, they’ll be able to refer back to the policy and do what’s right for the business. By informing employees about how to behave when using company devices or accessing company data from home, you can help reinforce current policies and minimize risk for your organization.
Deter employees from engaging in risky behaviour
Many businesses have struggled with getting employees to actually complete training sessions in the past. We can understand it can be difficult to convince people that security awareness training is beneficial. However, a recent study conducted by Osterman Research found that 92% of respondents who had completed security training said they were more aware of threats and better able to avoid them. Creating a culture where security awareness is valued and expected may help deter employees from engaging in risky behaviors online. Especially in the ever increasing threats for businesses.
It’s not uncommon for businesses to overlook the importance of security awareness training. But in order to protect data and prevent costly cyberattacks, you must give your employees the tools they need to stay safe. In addition, by providing ongoing information about common threats and tactics used by cybercriminals, you can help keep your organization and its customers secure.