5 Ways to Foster a Healthy Security-First Corporate Culture

 In Business, Education
MARCH 12, 2019 BY ROBERT JONES

Cybercrime is an increasing threat to legitimate business that is predicted to cost industries upwards of $6 trillion by 2021 according to a Cybersecurity Ventures report. Significantly, data security compromises attributed to human error have been recorded as the prevailing cause of data breaches across many industries and in several countries.

With that in mind, one of the most effective ways to curtail human error leading to a data breach within an organization is by creating a “security first” corporate culture. What are some of the most effective ways to initiate and nurture this kind of cultural environment to protect your organization from harm? Here’s a select list of 5 strategies for you to consider.

1. Build data security awareness into the on-boarding process

During the first week of new staff orientation, dedicated security training sessions help your organization accomplish some important goals to creating a security-first culture. Sessions like these can gauge the existing knowledge of new staff to establish educational benchmarks.

They can introduce pertinent best-practice behaviors to staff that are specific and immediately applicable to their jobs. On-boarding sessions that include data security awareness also help to expose new staff to trends that affect the industry as a whole. All of that provides a solid basis for creating a stronger company-wide security profile.

2. Partner with third-party cybersecurity experts to help inform data security strategy

The nature of cybercrime is evolving along with the kinds of emerging solutions and infrastructure that organizations seek to better serve customers. Specialized expertise from outside of the company can be invaluable to helping executive leadership teams like yours to stay current regarding cybercrime and the ways and means to deter it.

This enables your leadership team to pass along knowledge to all staff, and to budget for security measures accordingly, too. That helps to inform an adaptable security-first corporate culture from the top down.

3. Regularly update staff on security issues via frequent communications

Regular communications with staff are an important element to nurture awareness of data security issues. Communications can even highlight efforts that specific staff members have taken to help ensure the integrity of the company.

Stories across all levels of your organization can help to inspire staff to be more aware, and to make improvements to the way they do their jobs with data security in mind.

4. Routinely test staff knowledge and awareness

Education and culture around data security must be an ongoing commitment. Regular testing of staff knowledge can be helpful to making sure that they have the tools they need to continue to effectively protect company integrity.

The threats to data security are evolving and becoming more sophisticated. Your company’s knowledge base should keep up with the latest information, and make sure that staff at all levels are empowered to become savvier to the ways that criminals seek to steal business and consumer data.

5. Foster an open-door policy for everyone

Everyone makes mistakes. It’s important that all staff members feel safe in reporting their errors and those that might implicate their colleagues. It is essential that even the possibility of a breach is made visible as early as possible, and not hidden out of fear of punitive measures.

The blame-game is not productive. Creating openness and safety will help to reduce the damage that a breach may cause. It helps your leadership team to create a healthier work environment, too.

A better, safer corporate environment

A corporate culture that values and creates awareness around data security empowers staff at every level to protect an organization more effectively. It helps promote greater knowledge and better communication from the top down. It encourages openness, visibility, and teamwork that keep organizations like yours to be safer from the threat of cybercrime.

To learn more about measures that you can take to reduce the damage of a potential breach more effectively, talk to us today for a review of your current ERP and/or CRM system.

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