What Is the Best Way to Train Employees on Cybersecurity Awareness?

In today’s connected world, cybersecurity is not just the responsibility of the IT department. Every employee plays a role in protecting company data and systems from threats. With human error contributing to the majority of security incidents, organizations that invest in effective cybersecurity awareness training gain a major advantage. A well-trained workforce can stop phishing attacks, spot social engineering attempts, and respond quickly when something seems suspicious.

The best employee cybersecurity training programs go beyond annual check-the-box sessions. They focus on long-term behavior change, positive culture, and consistent reinforcement. This article explores how to build a truly effective awareness program that makes cybersecurity second nature across your organization.

Why Cybersecurity Awareness Training Matters

Even with advanced firewalls, antivirus tools, and detection systems, people remain a common entry point for attackers. Phishing emails, fake invoices, and social engineering are designed to target human curiosity, trust, or stress. One wrong click can lead to a ransomware infection, stolen credentials, or data exposure.

Cybersecurity awareness training helps address this risk by:

• Teaching employees how to recognize and respond to potential threats
• Building confidence in how to report suspicious activity
• Reducing the organization’s overall attack surface
• Reinforcing compliance requirements such as those found in NIST, ISO, PCI DSS, or HIPAA
• Promoting a security-first mindset across every department

Awareness training is not simply about passing a test or completing a video. It is about building habits, improving judgment, and encouraging fast, open communication when something goes wrong.

Building the Foundation: Culture First, Training Second

The foundation of any effective cybersecurity awareness program is culture. When employees feel supported and respected, they are far more likely to participate and take ownership of security.

Create a Top-Down Security Culture

Security awareness cannot succeed without visible support from the CEO on down. At events, I frequently share a story about how this culture is created. I explain that with a previous employer, one of my tasks was to complete the security expectations for all new hires during their onboarding. One of the company policies was that all employees must have their company ID badge visible while in the building. If you saw someone who did not have their badge visible, you were empowered to stop that person and ask to see their badge.

One day after the briefing, a new employee was in the hallway and saw a man without his badge visible. Nervously, he asked to see the person’s badge. The person lit up with a big smile, apologized and showed the badge. The person was the CEO of the company. A few minutes later, the CEO sent an email to every person in the company, explaining his interaction with the newly hired employee. The CEO explained that the person did exactly as he wants done and how every person should handle this interaction. The CEO reiterated the visible badge policy and the policy of asking to see a non-visible badge.

If you got this email from the CEO, how would you feel about the culture of security? Would you feel empowered to follow the policy of asking to see a non-visible badge? This top-down support for the policy and procedures is what every company should strive to achieve.

Focus on Behavior, Not Just Knowledge

Knowledge is important, but awareness training should be designed to influence day-to-day behavior. Instead of trying to make employees memorize technical concepts, focus on the practical steps they can take. Teach them how to slow down before clicking a link, verify requests for sensitive information, or double-check sender addresses. These small behavioral shifts add up to a large reduction in risk. Make reporting a suspected social engineering attack easy, safe, and seamless.

Designing an Effective Cybersecurity Awareness Program

A great training program is structured, repeatable, and flexible enough to stay relevant. It should mix education with engagement and reinforce messages regularly.

Keep It Short and Frequent

A single one-hour annual training session is not enough. People forget what they learn if they never revisit the topic. Instead, focus on short, recurring sessions that last 10 to 15 minutes. These “micro-learnings” can be delivered through videos, team discussions, or short online modules. Repetition helps retain information and keeps security top of mind. Use posters in common areas. Change them up so people notice them again.

Use Real-World Stories

One of the most effective ways to make training memorable is through storytelling. Employees connect more strongly with real examples than abstract rules. Share stories about actual incidents the company has experienced, or use anonymized industry examples. Explain what went wrong, what was learned, and how it could have been prevented. When people see the human impact of security mistakes, they take the topic more seriously.

Make It Interactive with Rewards

Training works best when employees are actively involved. Instead of only presenting information, include quizzes, discussion prompts, or simulated exercises. For example, walk through what an employee should do if they receive a suspicious email or see a strange login notification.  Reward people for reporting attacks. Rewards can be as simple as a certificate for their office, an email to the whole company that names them and what they did, a challenge coin, or additional paid time off. People like compliments and rewards. Use those to motivate people.

Tailor the Content to the Audience

Different departments face different risks. Accounting teams deal with invoice fraud, HR teams manage sensitive data, and executives are prime targets for spear-phishing. Customize examples and scenarios to fit each audience. This makes the material more relevant and engaging.

The Role of Phishing Simulations

Simulated phishing campaigns are one of the most practical ways to measure and reinforce training. These controlled exercises show how employees react when faced with realistic phishing attempts and help identify where additional education is needed.

However, to be effective, phishing simulations must be carefully managed:

• Send multiple variations of test emails instead of one identical message
• Stagger delivery times so employees cannot warn each other immediately
• Avoid “gotcha” tactics that use insider information or personal details that real attackers would not have
• Use test results to guide coaching rather than to punish mistakes

The goal is not to embarrass employees but to raise awareness and teach people to report phishing messages. When used properly, phishing simulations help make security awareness real, not theoretical.

Reinforcing Good Behavior

Positive reinforcement is far more effective than fear or punishment. Recognize employees who take proactive actions, such as reporting a phishing attempt or identifying a security gap. Small rewards or public acknowledgment can go a long way.

Here are a few creative ideas organizations use:

• Give out “Security Champion” promo items or rewards as badges of honor
• Send thank-you cards or small tokens to employees who report legitimate threats
• Host team lunches when a department reaches a reporting milestone
• Celebrate company-wide wins, like preventing a phishing campaign from succeeding

When people associate security with pride and collaboration, participation grows naturally.

Turning Security Training into Lasting Behavior Change

True cybersecurity awareness is not achieved through a one-time program. It develops over time through consistent exposure, reinforcement, and encouragement.

Empower Employees to Report Quickly

Employees should feel comfortable reporting any suspicious behavior without fear of blame. Mistakes happen, but what matters most is how fast the issue is identified. An employee who reports a phishing email even after clicking a link or downloading a file is the behavior we want. Don’t shame people as that teaches them to hide their mistakes. A culture that welcomes quick reporting minimizes damage and improves response times.

To support this, make reporting simple. Provide an easy-to-use button in the email client, a dedicated help desk address, or a quick chat channel. Respond promptly to reports and share updates when threats are neutralized to reinforce the importance of reporting.

Provide Personal Coaching for Repeat Offenders

If someone repeatedly demonstrates risky behavior in response to phishing tests, a one-on-one discussion is often more effective than additional group training. Approach these conversations with empathy and curiosity rather than frustration. Find out why the employee did not report the message. Ask what made the employee take a certain action and identify whether confusion, pressure, or lack of clarity contributed. This personalized approach helps correct the issue and strengthens trust.

Build a Network of Security Champions

One of the best ways to sustain awareness is to empower individuals within each department to act as security champions. These champions can answer quick questions, promote good habits, and relay updates from the security team. Having peers promote cybersecurity often carries more weight than directives from IT alone. The best candidates for security champions are often those who have previously fallen victim to social engineering attacks. They understand what it feels like and often want to ensure it doesn’t happen again to them or to others.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Security Training

Like any business initiative, cybersecurity awareness training should be measured and improved over time. The following metrics provide useful insight:

• Completion rates for training modules
• Phishing simulation report rates
• Number of reported incidents or suspicious messages
• Employee feedback and engagement surveys
• Time taken to report incidents or potential compromises

Regularly review these metrics to identify trends and areas for improvement. If click rates on phishing simulations decrease over time, that is a clear indicator of progress. If reporting rates increase, it shows employees are more confident and engaged.

Continuous Improvement and Adaptation

Cyber threats evolve constantly, which means your training program must evolve too. Review and update content at least once a year to include new threat types, such as deepfake voice scams or AI-generated phishing. Refresh examples and add new scenarios to prevent complacency.

Gather feedback from employees to understand what resonates and what doesn’t. Keep materials fresh, relevant, and easy to consume. Partner with HR and communications teams to weave cybersecurity reminders into internal newsletters, intranet pages, or digital signage. Teach those groups what a phishing email looks like and to not replicate some of those steps in a legitimate message, like “Click here.”

Awareness is not just a technical initiative; it is a company-wide effort that should grow alongside your business.

Avoiding Common Security Awareness Pitfalls

Many organizations start awareness programs with good intentions but fall into predictable traps that limit their impact. Avoid these mistakes:

• Treating training as a compliance checkbox rather than a long-term investment
• Overloading employees with technical jargon instead of relatable scenarios
• Running identical phishing tests for everyone at once
• Punishing mistakes instead of rewarding improvement
• Failing to include executives and privileged users in the program
• Neglecting to measure progress and update materials

The key is to treat awareness as a living, breathing program that changes with the workforce and the threat landscape.

Sustaining a Security-Minded Culture

Once your awareness program is established, focus on keeping it visible and meaningful. Incorporate cybersecurity into onboarding for new hires and refresh it during promotions or role changes. Use monthly or quarterly touchpoints to share stories about threats that were prevented thanks to employee vigilance.

Encourage open communication between departments. HR, marketing, operations, and IT should all have a voice in how security messaging is delivered. When everyone contributes, security becomes part of the organizational identity rather than an obligation.

Recognition is another critical piece. Celebrate successes publicly, even small ones. If a department reports several phishing emails that could have caused real harm, acknowledge that effort company-wide. People remember moments of appreciation much more than warnings.

A Step-by-Step Roadmap to Building an Effective Security Awareness Program

1. Assess your current state - Review employee awareness levels, incident trends, and risk areas.
2. Secure leadership support - Ensure executives understand the value and participate actively.
3. Design tailored content - Develop short, engaging modules with real-world examples that fit different roles.
4. Launch the program - Communicate expectations clearly and explain how employees can contribute to protecting the organization.
5. Reinforce through repetition - Send out monthly refreshers, newsletters, and micro-trainings.
6. Recognize and reward participation - Reinforce positive behavior through public acknowledgment and small incentives.
7. Measure and adapt - Track results, gather feedback, and update the program regularly.

This roadmap helps ensure cybersecurity awareness training becomes part of the organization’s daily rhythm rather than an annual event.

The Bottom Line

Cybersecurity awareness training is not just about compliance. It is about building a workforce that can think critically, act responsibly, and feel empowered to protect the organization. The best programs balance structure with flexibility, combine knowledge with empathy, and turn learning into lasting behavior change.

By focusing on people as much as technology, companies can create a culture of awareness that dramatically reduces risk and strengthens overall resilience.

How Compass Can Help

Compass helps organizations build and strengthen cybersecurity awareness programs that drive real behavioral change. Our team designs tailored training strategies, phishing simulations, and cultural engagement initiatives that align with your business goals and compliance needs. Whether you want to improve employee vigilance, measure readiness, or refresh your current program, we can help you create a security-aware workforce that reduces risk and improves resilience. Contact us today to learn more.