And increase employee retention in the process.
Something all companies can agree on is that you do not want your data to be leaked. Specifically, this is critical if you handle sensitive information like Financial institutions and government agencies, who are among the top targets for cyber-attacks. Even with emerging technologies and tightening cyber regulations, cybersecurity is problematic, and threats are becoming more and more complex. Against that backdrop, more than 90% of cybersecurity issues originate from human error within your organization, not externally. Even more alarming, it can take years to discover insider threats because they are so hard to detect and many of which derive from lack of cyber literacy.
The Importance of Cyber Literacy
Most breaches and data exposure stems from human error or sometimes intentional misconduct. In fact, it’s quite common for employees to threaten their organization out of boredom, spite, or phishing scams from hackers. However, most attacks are caused simply by human error. The most common example being downloading a malicious file, that would release malware into the internal network, which can slowly leak private and confidential company documents. Without creating awareness and providing deeper understanding of best practice through cyber literacy, any threat mitigation tool or firewall is rendered useless. The threats are coming from your own people.
Investing in Employee Education Will Help Retention
No one likes a boring job. In investing in the cyber literacy of your team, not only shows employees that they are appreciated, but that their professional development needs are seen and met. Any additional training that exposes your employees to other worlds of content is an investment in employee retention and in your company’s success.
Let’s think about another scenario – reducing insider threats through strict security policies. This includes random computer checkups or monitoring of activities done by employees online, which, no surprise, can backfire by decreasing employee satisfaction and productivity. Instead, organizations can and should invest in educating their entire workforce on security threats and best practices.
Take Care of Your Employees and They Will Take Care of You
It has been proven many times that employees who feel taken care of and acknowledged by their employers are more committed to the success of the company, work harder and feel more professionally fulfilled. By investing in employee learning and development when it comes to cybersecurity and intelligence, you provide them with the necessary tools to master the rapidly developing technologies that surround them. Without you pushing them to learn, they might get too comfortable doing things as they always have and allow threats to stay present in your network. If you give your employees knowledge and education, they will use it to keep your company and their work safe.
