Tips to Ensuring Employee Compliance and Cybersecurity

cybersecurity

With the internet at our fingertips, it has become easier than ever to purchase or sell products, gather information and so much more.  Over time, it has become routine for customers to share personal data whenever they access a website.  However, sharing personal data can put these individuals at risk of leaks and data breaches.  Although cybersecurity is not a new thing, it has become a higher priority to most people as access to data and security threats have advanced.  Your company’s CYBERSECURITY POLICY is only as good as your employee compliance rate. Start increasing employee compliance today.          

As your business or company begins to utilize a stronger cybersecurity strategy, it is imperative to confirm and verify that all your employees understand and are implementing your cybersecurity policies. Without the proper security procedures in place, your companies data can be subjected to devastating breaches resulting in costly damages and overall loss of customer trust.  Protect your business by following these tips to ensure employee compliance with your cybersecurity policy.  

User-Friendly Guides

As you are developing your cybersecurity strategy, it is essential to get your employees on board.  Simply explaining your companies concerns and procedures are not enough.  In order to gain support and cooperation, you must provide a complete, user-friendly guide that defines your company’s strategy and security policies.  Without a proper go-by, your employees will be less likely to implement your CYBERSECURITY POLICIES leaving your company at a higher risk. 

Training Programs

Offering ongoing cybersecurity awareness training will allow your employees the opportunity to learn and grow with the always changing cyber world. These types of training opportunities are an excellent way to discuss updates or changes to your company’s cybersecurity policies and talk about potential threats that could place your company’s data security at risk. The cyber world is a rapidly changing environment and poses a long list of vulnerabilities. Cybersecurity awareness training must not be a set and forget type of program.  In order to best protect your company’s data, cybersecurity training programs must be continually tested, updated, and consistently available for your employees.

In addition to your cybersecurity awareness training, providing readily available, highly trained cybersecurity advisors can increase your employee compliance rates.  By having security advisors available when questions arise will allow your employees the ability to reach out for assistance when needed.  Additionally, security advisors can help you by observing the security process and practices in each department and providing feedback to what works and what does not. 

Software

Providing authorized software can reduce the risk of unnecessary security breaches.  When downloading, or using, free or copied software, your employees are risking company security.  Downloaded software can be infected with viruses or malware, putting their data at risk.  Regardless of which type of software your employees use, providing them with a valid, legal copy is the best way to reduce the risk of data being stolen. 

Practice

Proper training is an effective tool, however, how will your employees directly respond to a suspicious situation?  To test your cybersecurity strategy and employees compliance, provide drills and simulate real cyber threats to test your procedures and employee responses.

Ensuring Cybersecurity Practices are Part of Your Workplace

In a continually changing cyber world, security standards must remain a priority for business owners everywhere. Regardless of your industry or business size, cybersecurity measures must be taken to protect your clients, employees and your company.  With constant news of data breaches and identity theft, potential and current clients are becoming more and more demanding about the security of their personal information.