Striking a balance between protecting corporate data and enabling efficient access for authorised employees is a challenge to all IT teams.

This isn’t an issue you can sort out by throwing all your technical resources at it, as not just a technical issue! For the best results 9and the safeest data) it’s a matter of employee awareness and involvement.

Knowledge is power

One of the most interesting aspects of this challenge is how to actively engage employees in cybersecurity awareness and encourage them to take proactive steps to protect company data. It starts with educational initiatives such as workshops and training sessions, in which employees learn about the various and growing cyber threats, such as phishing and malware.

The goal is to teach them how to recognise these threats in their daily work and you can do this by sharing practical examples and case studies so that they recognise the signs in future. As there have been many famous data breaches and hacks in recent years, case studies aren’t hard to find, and this makes it clearer to employees why their contribution to cybersecurity is important.

Encourage employees

Knowing about something is one thing, doing something about it is another. Actively encouraging employees to follow good security practices and report security issues is equally important and you can support this with appropriate reward systems and recognition.

An effective approach involves establishing a reward structure that recognises employees who contribute to the organisation’s security. This can range from small bonuses or certificates to public recognition within the organisation. In this way, employee involvement is increased and they feel more motivated to actively contribute to the company’s cybersecurity efforts.

The first line of defence

As cyber threats continue to grow and evolve, and regulatory and industry compliance is essential, your employees’ role as the “first line of defence” plays a critical role in ensuring the protection of corporate data.

It is very important not only to implement technical solutions, but also to cultivate a culture of cybersecurity in which employees are aware of the risks and are actively involved in protecting valuable company information.

Roundtable

Are you interested in discussing this subject further with colleagues?

On Thursday, November 2, we are organising a roundtable where you can exchange information with other organisations in The Netherlands (Dutch only webinar)