33% of Employees Feel Cybersecurity Is a Problem in Their Companies

Your employees are critical players for your cybersecurity. Do you address their concerns? Statistics show many employees feel cybersecurity is an issue in their organizations. Discover reasons to respond to your employees’ concerns on cybersecurity and how you can do it.

Cybercriminals exploit vulnerabilities to breach organizations’ networks and cause disruptions. These breaches can cause problems, such as downtimes, data loss, financial losses, and damage to your reputation.

Employees often interact with the organization’s networks. They can provide useful insights on vulnerabilities that organizations can address to limit their exposure to devastating breaches. Organizations do not involve them to ensure they have reliable cybersecurity protocols. This failure leaves organizations exposed and demoralizes employees.

Do you get your employees’ insights on your cybersecurity protocols?

Tom Martinez with TCA Synertech in Michigan specializes in providing cybersecurity solutions for business throughout Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo and West Michigan.

1 in 3 Employees Believe Their Organization’s Cybersecurity Is a Moderate or Major Issue

33% of employees feel cybersecurity is an issue in their organizations. Managers do not involve them in thwarting cybersecurity threats, raising concerns for organizations as they embrace remote work.

A survey by Nulab reveals that 76% of employees agree that there are issues with their organizations’ cybersecurity, and 24% say everything is fine. These findings show that many workers have problems with their companies’ cybersecurity.

Why Are Employees Worried?

Large organizations can develop comprehensive cybersecurity protocols. They often have the resources to address most of their vulnerabilities. Small organizations often prioritize areas they consider critical. Cybercriminals know that small businesses are soft targets because of their prioritization.

The Verizon 2020 DBIR (Data Breach Investigations Report) reveals that 28% of cyberattacks target small businesses. We rarely hear about these breaches in the news, resulting in some quarters assuming little to no threat exists. Small enterprises comprise 99% of U.S. firms, making the problem significant.

The Nulab survey gathered the perceptions of over 1,000 full-time employees about their workplace cybersecurity. The participants spend at least 4 hours every day on their computers. 54% of the participants were male.

33% of employees worried about cybersecurity in their organizations. 42% of workers confronted their employers, and about 15% of respondents believed their company’s digital records are not secure.

The percentage of staffers worried about their organizations’ data reduced as the size of the company grew. 23% of employees in organizations with 1–50 workers worry about the security of their data. This proportion was 19% for companies with 51–100 staffers and 10% for those with 101–500 workers.

The survey revealed that employers are not willing to address employees’ concerns about cybersecurity. The proportion of employers unwilling to respond to employees’ issues on cybersecurity is higher with small organizations.

44% of employees from companies with 1–50 workers revealed that their organizations are slightly or not at all responsive to their concerns. This proportion drops to 33% for organizations with 51–100 staffers and 25% for those with 101–500 employees. It remains almost the same for organizations with over 500 staffers, with most reporting 27–29%.

What Are the Benefits of Addressing Employees’ Concerns About Cybersecurity?

Why should you address your employees’ concerns about your cybersecurity measures?

Here are the reasons to address your employees’ concerns about your cybersecurity.

• Enhance Your Cybersecurity: Your workers spend substantial periods using your networks. They are likely to have useful insights that can help you boost your cybersecurity. For example, they can tell you areas where they have identified cybercriminals trying to breach your networks. Listening to them and addressing their concerns will make your organization more secure.
• Boost Morale: Your organization may have the best staff in various fields. You may lose them if you do not value their input. For example, being disregarded can make an employee unhappy with the organizations and make them want to leave to where their opinion will be valuable. Your employees will be happy and want to stay with you if you respond to their concerns.
• Allow Them to Concentrate on Their Activities: Your workers need to focus on their functions. They should not be worrying about breaches. For example, your employees may fear that a breach will cause downtimes, interfering with their responsibilities. This concern can affect their output. Your employees will concentrate on their tasks and be more productive if they are comfortable with your cybersecurity protocols.

How Can You Ensure Your Employees Are Comfortable With Your Cybersecurity?

You can make your employees satisfied with your cybersecurity by taking these measures.

1. Listen to Their Cybersecurity Concerns: It is best if you are not dismissive of their issues. Listen to what they say, interrogate their misgivings, and address them. You can explain your decision if you think their matters do not warrant extra measures.
2. Encourage a Reporting Culture: Your organization should strive for employees to report all cybersecurity threats they identify. You can achieve this target by not punishing those that come forward, guaranteeing to follow up on their issues, and having a protocol for reporting concerns. These measures can ensure vigilance and encourage employees to report threats, which can help improve your cybersecurity.
3. Get Their Input When Developing Cybersecurity Measures: Developing your cybersecurity policies and protocols do not have to be a managers’ affair. Involve your staff when you create them. They can provide useful insights. The team will also have a sense of ownership of the protocols you formulate, which benefits the organization as they are at the forefront of their implementation.
4. Educate Them on Your Cybersecurity Protocols: You may have measures that address the concerns of the employees, but they do not know them. Training them on your cybersecurity protocols can help them understand and be happy with your efforts, primarily if they address their concerns.

Employees’ views on cybersecurity are critical to the success of the organization’s cybersecurity protocols. They implement the organization’s measures and spend a lot of time using your infrastructure, meaning they can offer valuable insights. Addressing their concerns will make the company secure and boost morale, increasing their productivity.

To learn more about tca SynerTech and the services they provide in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, South Bend, and throughout Michiana, visit https://www.tcasynertech.com.

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