How to Improve Engagement in Security Awareness Training

Security awareness training is essential for reducing human error and strengthening defenses against cyber threats like phishing attacks and malware infections.

However, many organizations struggle to achieve meaningful employee engagement.

Below, we'll look at 11 concrete strategies you can use to measurably improve participation and create a company culture for security.

1. Plan ahead

Preparation is key to delivering an effective security awareness program.

Start by assessing your organization’s current security posture and identifying areas for improvement.

• Set clear objectives: Define the goals of your security awareness program. Whether it’s reducing phishing incidents or improving compliance, clarity helps measure success.
• Map out training intervals: Break the year into phases for training, simulations, and assessments. Structured timelines prevent gaps in learning and keep security top of mind.
• Collaborate with stakeholders: Involve senior leadership and department heads early. Their buy-in is critical to achieving organization-wide participation.

When your program aligns with organizational goals, employees better understand the relevance of security measures.

A structured plan creates accountability and ensures resources are allocated efficiently.

A report from SANS Institute found that organizations with clear security training roadmaps reduced incident response times by 35%.

2. Run a culture study

Understanding your organization's security culture is the foundation of a successful program.

Conduct surveys or focus groups to gauge attitudes and behaviors toward cybersecurity.

• Assess employee knowledge: Use surveys to identify gaps in security knowledge. Knowing where employees stand helps tailor training effectively.
• Examine attitudes: Are employees aware of the importance of secure practices? Identify areas where skepticism or complacency exists.
• Align with organizational values: Ensure security messaging resonates with your company’s mission and values.

Running a culture study provides actionable insights into employee behavior and potential vulnerabilities.

With this data, you can design a program that actually resonates with your employees and promotes a positive security culture.

According to Gartner, businesses that invest in understanding their employees' security attitudes report a 25% increase in participation in awareness programs.

Understanding cultural nuances also allows you to address unique challenges, such as regional security threats or department-specific vulnerabilities.

This means your training efforts are not only comprehensive but also deeply relevant to the employees receiving them.

3. Deliver frequent microtraining moments

Employees retain information better when it’s delivered in small, digestible segments.

Microtraining ensures lessons are timely and relevant without overwhelming participants.

• Focus on specific threats: Tailor each session to address one potential threat, such as phishing scams or malware infections.
• Keep it short and engaging: Training moments shouldn’t disrupt daily tasks but complement them.
• Provide immediate feedback: After a simulated phishing test, offer constructive feedback to reinforce learning.

Frequent microtraining helps employees stay alert to evolving threats while integrating secure behaviors into their daily routines.

Continuous learning fosters long-term engagement and reduces cybersecurity risks...

Studies show that organizations using microlearning improve retention rates by 50% compared to traditional methods.

Microtraining also allows for just-in-time learning, where employees receive training when it’s most relevant.

For example, before a major holiday shopping season, employees can receive a refresher on phishing schemes targeting holiday shoppers.

Timely and targeted microtraining can significantly improve threat detection and reduce employee errors.

4. Highlight real-world incidents

Nothing drives home the importance of security awareness like real-life examples.

Sharing these stories makes training more relatable and impactful.

• Discuss internal cases: Use anonymized examples of past security incidents within your organization to demonstrate potential risks.
• Leverage industry news: Highlight recent high-profile breaches and analyze what went wrong.
• Connect to roles: Show how incidents affect different roles. Employees engage more when they see how risks directly impact their responsibilities.

Real-world incidents illustrate the consequences of cybersecurity failures and motivate employees to adopt secure behaviors.

They also provide context for why security protocols are essential.

Incorporating current events into training also keeps the material dynamic and relevant.

Employees are more likely to pay attention when they see examples directly tied to the challenges their organization faces.

This approach ensures that training resonates with employees across various departments and roles.

5. Personalize training content

To truly engage employees, training content must align with their daily experiences and responsibilities.

A security awareness program that actually builds better practices makes abstract security concepts tangible and actionable.

• Use real-Life examples: Incorporate real-world cybersecurity incidents and relatable scenarios into your training. People connect more with training when they see the immediate impact on their role and security responsibilities.
• Tailor to roles: Different teams face unique risks. Finance departments may focus on phishing attacks targeting sensitive financial details, while IT teams explore insider threat detection and response.
• Continuously update content: The cyber threat landscape evolves rapidly. Ensure training content remains current by addressing new attack vectors like deepfakes or AI-driven phishing campaigns.

By ensuring training content reflects potential threats employees might encounter, organizations can make security awareness a priority.

When training is seen as relevant, employees feel empowered to apply secure behaviors both at work and in their personal lives.

Relevance is also a matter of personalization.

For example, incorporating regional threats - such as holiday-themed phishing campaigns - ensures the content resonates more deeply with employees.

"When users see examples that directly reflect their environment, they are much more likely to engage and take the training seriously." - Anthony Davis, InfoSec Awareness Manager at Ocado Group.

6. Leverage gamification

Gamification transforms traditional training into an engaging learning experience by incorporating elements of competition and rewards.

This strategy is particularly effective for encouraging active participation and long-term retention.

• Incorporate game-like elements: Add features like leaderboards, badges, and progress tracking to motivate employees to engage. Competition fosters curiosity and keeps employees coming back for more.
• Reward participation: Offer incentives like gift cards or recognition for employees who excel in simulations or report phishing attempts. Rewards provide tangible motivation to reinforce secure practices.
• Highlight team achievements: Celebrate departmental milestones to promote a collaborative approach. Gamification fosters team spirit and a shared commitment to cybersecurity.

Here at Hoxhunt, we've found that people love a little healthy competition.

Gamification turns mundane training into something employees look forward to.

These game-like elements not only create excitement but also encourage employees to adopt secure behaviors over time.

Gamification isn’t just about points or badges; it’s about creating a sense of accomplishment.

By making training interactive and rewarding, organizations can transform security awareness into a key element of their workplace culture.

7. Build your security team's brand

Your security team should be seen as approachable and supportive, not punitive. Building a positive brand fosters collaboration and trust.

• Host interactive sessions: Encourage open dialogue during training. Employees are more likely to engage when they feel heard.
• Communicate proactively: Share regular updates about new threats and best practices through newsletters or team meetings.
• Highlight successes: Celebrate incidents where employee vigilance prevented security breaches.

A well-branded security team creates a positive association with cybersecurity efforts, motivating employees to participate actively in training programs.

Research by Deloitte suggests that organizations fostering open communication about cybersecurity see a 20% increase in incident reporting.

Security teams can also enhance their visibility by attending departmental meetings or hosting informal Q&A sessions.

This proactive approach helps demystify their role and creates a bridge between employees and organizational security measures.

8. Promote continuous learning

Security training must go beyond annual events to remain effective.

A culture of continuous learning ensures that employees stay vigilant in the face of evolving cybersecurity risks.

• Frequent microlearning: Replace annual training with bite-sized modules delivered regularly. Short, frequent sessions are more impactful than a yearly crash course.
• Personalized learning paths: Adapt training content to employees’ roles and experience levels. Advanced users can tackle complex phishing scenarios, while beginners focus on fundamental cybersecurity practices.
• Real-Time Feedback: After simulations, provide immediate feedback to reinforce secure behaviors and address mistakes constructively.

Learning happens over time.

Continuous engagement ensures secure habits become second nature.

This approach emphasizes that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility that evolves alongside the threat landscape.

Practical application is critical for continuous learning.

For example, regular quizzes or scenario-based exercises help reinforce the lessons learned.

At Hoxhunt, we’ve found that employees retain more when they can immediately apply the concepts to something tangible.

Your organization’s security team can also host periodic town halls/office hours to discuss lessons learned from recent incidents, making training an interactive dialogue rather than a static lecture.

9. Create psychological safety

Employees are more likely to report incidents and participate in training when they feel safe from judgment or retribution.

• Normalize mistakes: Use errors as learning opportunities rather than grounds for punishment.
• Encourage questions: Foster an environment where employees feel comfortable seeking clarification about security protocols.
• Avoid blame culture: Shift the focus from "who" to "what went wrong" during post-incident reviews.

Psychological safety promotes open communication and reduces the stigma around cybersecurity mistakes.

Employees need to know they’re part of the solution, not the problem.

This approach not only improves engagement but also reduces potential threats by fostering a proactive mindset.

When employees feel empowered to report incidents without fear, organizations can respond more quickly and effectively to potential threats.

This sense of safety is critical for building a resilient security culture.

10. Utilize realistic simulations

Realistic phishing simulations are a cornerstone of effective security awareness training, allowing employees to practice identifying and reporting threats.

• Simulate real-life scenarios: Mimic actual phishing attempts with realistic email simulations. When employees face authentic-looking threats, it’s a safe way to build resilience.
• Provide a safe environment: Ensure simulations are non-punitive to encourage learning without fear. Employees should feel supported when mistakes occur.
• Leverage actionable insights: Use data from simulations to tailor future training and address specific vulnerabilities.

Simulations are where theory meets practice.

They prepare employees to handle real-world threats with confidence.

Ideally, you should be testing employees with varied phishing scenarios, such as business email compromise or spear-phishing campaigns.

Regularly rotating the types of attacks simulated keeps training fresh and challenging.

And when simulations mimic current trends, they feel less predictable and more educational.

11. Find your champions

Identify influential employees within your organization to advocate for security awareness training.

These champions can drive engagement and reinforce the importance of secure behaviors.

• Empower ambassadors: Provide additional training and resources to champions so they can support their peers.
• Encourage peer learning: Champions can share tips and lessons learned during team meetings or informal conversations.
• Recognize their contributions: Publicly acknowledge champions’ efforts to foster a sense of pride and responsibility.

Security champions bridge the gap between the security team and employees.

Gartner reports that organizations leveraging peer-led training saw a 25% improvement in employee engagement.

Drive engagement and ensure compliance with Hoxhunt

Hoxhunt simplifies awareness with a comprehensive training library that can be tailored to your organization's needs.

Deliver gamified, bite-sized training that employees genuinely enjoy.

Drive next-level employee engagement: Enhance the impact of your training by tailoring it to every employee’s role, department, location, and more to ensure your message resonates.

Maximize results with minimal effort: Do more than just meet compliance. Boost participation with engaging training and build a foundation of security-first practices on autopilot.

Create a positive security culture: Encourage secure behaviors with gamified awareness and micro-trainings that minimize disruption and proactively fill in their skill gaps.

_Sources

^{CybSafe Human Risk Report – CybSafe, 2023
Deloitte Cybersecurity Report – Deloitte, 2023
SANS Security Awareness – SANS Institute, 2023
Gartner Security Trends – Gartner, 2023
TalentLMS Gamification Statistics – TalentLMS, 2023}