As an IT professional, you understand the importance of security policies. But your effort to secure the company’s IT systems may fall apart if employees don’t comply with the rules. After all, security is everyone’s responsibility!
Employees may very well be the biggest threat to a company’s security. Hackers take advantage of their lack of awareness to gain access to IT systems. As an IT leader, it’s your responsibility to train and encourage workers to follow IT policies to keep company data safe. But how can you do this? Let’s discuss three ways.
1. Train Employees on Best Practices
Some employees may not be aware of the cybersecurity risks they face. Hence, they may adopt a reluctant approach to IT security. Inform them on the risks involved and what’s at stake.
Educate your team on best practices for choosing passwords like using unique passwords for different accounts and how to spot suspicious activity like a malicious link or attachment in a seemingly innocuous email. Training should be a continuous process because security threats change with time. Moreover, new employees need to know their role in enhancing security.
2. Enforce Security Policies
Security policies are only effective if they are enforced. Instead of issuing policies alone, communicate the consequences of breaching them. Concrete examples can always help get your point across!
On the other hand, reward employees when they stick to the rules. Offer incentives for the fastest person to implement a certain security measure or workers who identify and report malicious emails or other security breaches.
3. Keep the Knowledge Gap in Mind
Make sure your IT policy is written in an easy-to-understand way for non-technical readers, with relevant IT security policy templates. This way, everyone will be able to clearly understand and follow through without any IT jargon getting in the way.
IT Security is Everyone’s Business
Cybersecurity responsibility is not limited to those in the IT department. Each employee can help improve security for an organization. Once system users work on the above recommendations, you can minimize security compromises in your company.
About United Business Systems
United Business Systems specializes in simplifying the complexity and management of office technology solutions for over 7,800 organizations nationwide. Services include Managed Print, Document Management and IT Services. Products include MFPs, Copiers, Printers and Wide Format Printers. UBS’s headquarters is in Fairfield, NJ with branch offices in Moorestown, NJ, Manasquan, NJ and New York.
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