It’s 2022, and many companies still haven’t asked their remote employees to return to the office. In fact, the Future Workforce Report of 2021 predicts that over 40 million workers, or just under 28%, will be fully remote within the next five years. Other companies will use a hybrid approach where some days will be spent in the office and others will be working from home.
With threat vectors on the rise, it’s a hard time to be a security program leader for all employees. As noted in our third trend in our 8 Essential Trends for 2022 Guide, running a security program is more difficult—but also more important—than ever with the increasing number of social engineering attacks in the hybrid workforce landscape. Plus, there are simply not enough trained cybersecurity experts to keep up with the ever-growing speed of cyber attacks.
Given the circumstances, it’s time to focus on how we can provide cybersecurity training for employees at home, so they can be informed and empowered, and provide the cybersecurity defense you need in the wake of the widening cybersecurity skills gap. Cybersecurity is, after all, more than just what happens at the office.
We will cover why remote cybersecurity training is so important, how we can include remote employees in routine cybersecurity training, and what training programs are possible for remote employees.
While cybersecurity within the office environment is important, it shouldn’t stop there. Remote employees need to feel confident that they, too, can help keep everyone safe. Plus, your human risk management needs to go beyond the office walls to be truly effective.
There is a need for holistic security training for your entire organization, including for those working at home, to effectively protect your company from cyberattacks. Keeping remote employees aware of everything from their Wi-Fi connection security to protocol when working on online projects, should be routine. Every employee, no matter their work location, can be your informed ally against cybersecurity threats. But, safety for remote workers shouldn’t stop there.
Since remote employees often share the internet space with their families, they will want to know how to make sure their children are also safe when online.
Remote workers can feel more empowered and confident in their online safety for their families when they learn about:
Cybersecurity awareness training for employees allows remote workers to feel confident about their safety and the safety of their loved ones. When an employee feels secure in their cybersecurity knowledge even at home, they become an empowered, proactive asset to your company.
Whether working in the office or working at home, your employees are the heart of your company. That’s why your cybersecurity training should be centered around seeing all employees as your strongest assets and greatest line of defense against cybercrime.
By creating a positive and inclusive cybersecurity culture, your employees will be conscious of their behavior and become your ultimate defense against cyber threats.
As our co-founder and CSO Drew Rose likes to say:“Culture change changes behavior. Ultimately, employees don’t make mistakes because they don’t care—they do so because they don’t understand the impact their actions and decisions have.”
Keep in mind that a holistic cybersecurity training program that educates and motivates employees is far more effective than one that treats employees as cybersecurity weaknesses. Not only will remote workers feel connected to the company culture, but they will also feel empowered to stay proactive through a positive, remote cybersecurity training experience.
The importance of cybersecurity awareness training for employees must extend to your remote workers so they not only feel included as part of the team but are also empowered and motivated to protect themselves and the company.
We understand that it can be difficult to offer a variety of training options when it comes to remote cybersecurity training.
The main types of cybersecurity awareness training for remote employees include:
With well-rounded cybersecurity training, you and your remote workers can feel prepared to keep the company and all employees safe from cybercrime.
Learn more about how organizations are fighting back against cybercrime. This free 10-page guide contains the 8 trends our Fortune 500 clients are following to more effectively mitigate human risk in 2022.