Techniques to engage employees in cybersecurity

According to Anna Collard, SVP content strategy expert in a TimesLive report, "Traditional training often feels like a drag — too theoretical, irrelevant or disconnected from daily work where people already feel overwhelmed and overloaded." This disconnect means that presenting one-size-fits-all content with little real-world application often fails to engage attention or change behavior.

Research confirms this vulnerability. According to Factors influencing employee compliance with information security policies: a systematic literature review of behavioral and technological aspects in cybersecurity, "employee compliance is often regarded as the linchpin of effective security management, as human behavior is commonly identified as the weakest link in the cybersecurity chain."

Engaged employees recognize threats, report suspicious activity, and make security-conscious decisions in their daily work. They understand that protecting company data also protects their own jobs, colleagues, and customers. As Collard notes, traditional approaches do "little to instill a true security mindset, the sort that turns passive participants into proactive defenders."

Related: How to promote smart cybersecurity behavior to employees

The knowledge-action gap

One of the challenges in cybersecurity training is what researchers call the "knowing-doing gap." The systematic literature review identifies a persistent problem, stating that, "employees' awareness of security policies does not consistently translate into compliant behavior." This shows why traditional awareness training alone is insufficient, organizations need strategies that actually change behavior. Research in “What influences employees to follow security policies?” found that "employees often have the belief that complying with security rules will not be beneficial to them, because they see it as a waste of time."

Simplifying policy into behaviors

Before implementing engagement techniques, organizations must first translate security policies into clear, actionable behaviors. Moneer Alshaikh describes how successful organizations distill hundreds of pages of security documentation into simplified guidance that employees can actually remember and follow. One organization in the study condensed 300 pages of security policies into five key behaviors:

• Think before you click
• Think before you send
• Be respectful online
• Keep files and devices secure
• Report anything suspicious

This approach works because, as Alshaikh notes, this simplification is critical for "shifting the focus of employees and the cybersecurity team from basic awareness into desired behaviors that need to be adopted to protect the organization from cyber threats."

Read also: Sharing cybersecurity policies with employees

Gamification

Gamification is a technique for cybersecurity engagement. According to TimesLive, applying "game-design elements, such as points, badges, leader boards and rewards to cybersecurity training taps into our natural desire for achievement, competition and progress." Collard explains that "when learning feels like an exciting challenge rather than a chore, retention and engagement improves. It helps shift cybersecurity from a compliance burden to a personal skill to be proud of."

Gamification strategies

• Simulated phishing campaigns with points systems that reward employees for correctly identifying and reporting fake emails. Research from KnowBe4 shows that increased simulation frequency leads to better security habits, with data from more than 60,000 organizations and 32 million users confirming this correlation.
• Capture-the-flag exercises where teams compete to identify vulnerabilities or solve security challenges.
• Leaderboards and achievement badges that recognize security-conscious behavior. As TimesLive reports, "Leader boards and peer benchmarking appeal to our natural tendency for social comparison. When employees see how they stack up they often push themselves further."
• Interactive scenario-based modules where employees make decisions in realistic situations and see the consequences play out, helping them understand how their choices impact organizational security. Collard describes using "a story-driven simulation where employees assume roles, such as a cybercriminal or a detective, and make choices that lead to different outcomes. This sort of narrative immersion helps them grasp the real-world consequences of their actions."

Microlearning

According to the KnowBe4 Human Risk Management Report 2025, traditional training frequency is often insufficient, with 29% of organizations conducting training annually and 39% biannually. This low frequency contributes to the "prevalence effect," where infrequent exposure to even simulated threats makes employees less likely to detect real attacks.

Microlearning approaches

• Two-minute weekly security tips delivered via email or messaging platforms, covering single topics like password hygiene, secure file sharing, or recognizing social engineering tactics.
• Monthly five-minute video modules addressing timely threats or recent incidents, keeping security awareness current and relevant to emerging attack trends.
• Just-in-time learning that appears when employees encounter security decision points, such as pop-up reminders about data classification when sharing files externally.
• Mobile-friendly content that employees can access during commutes or breaks, integrating security learning into existing routines rather than requiring dedicated training time.

Creating security champions programs

Security champions programs identify enthusiastic employees across different departments and empower them to become security advocates within their teams. These individuals receive advanced training and serve as first points of contact for security questions, bridging the gap between IT security teams and everyday employees.

Alshaikh documents how organizations successfully established cybersecurity champion networks as an initiative for building security culture. In one case study organization with 2,500 employees, establishing 96 cyber champions across all organizational levels created what the researcher describes as "a self-sustaining economy of cyber" where champions amplified security messages and provided frontline support to their teams.

This peer-to-peer approach is powerful because employees often feel more comfortable asking colleagues questions they might consider "too basic" for IT professionals. According to the research, champions helped identify department-specific training needs, report incidents from their teams, and made security more accessible throughout the organization.

Developing a cybersecurity brand and hub

Alshaikh found that organizations that developed unique visual brands or mascots for their cybersecurity teams, and used these consistently across training sessions, posters, alerts, and communications, improved employee recognition and response to security initiatives.

Complementing the visual brand, building a centralized cybersecurity hub provides employees with a single point of contact for security resources, training materials, incident reporting, and questions. As Alshaikh describes, the cybersecurity hub "enables employees to perform key cybersecurity behaviors and empowers the cyber champions to amplify security messages." This creates a system where security resources are accessible, champions can guide their teams to appropriate materials, and employees know exactly where to turn when they need help.

The role of leadership and organizational culture

The systematic literature review reveals that "top management support, and organizational culture are pivotal in shaping compliance behaviors" and that "active participation by management in security initiatives significantly influences employee attitudes and compliance intentions."

When executives prioritize security, participate in training, and discuss cybersecurity in company communications, they show that security matters. Alshaikh notes that the transformation from compliance-focused training to genuine culture building requires strong executive support and commitment. The case study organizations all received backing from their general managers and executive teams, which enabled them to secure necessary resources and communicate security messages throughout their organizational hierarchies.

Organizations should have environments where:

• Leaders actively champion security initiatives
• Security is discussed in regular business meetings
• Resources are allocated to support security programs
• Security-conscious behavior is recognized and rewarded
  
  

Employee satisfaction

Research in ‘What influences employees to follow security policies?’, notes that "companies need only to keep their employees motivated, happy, and satisfied in order to encourage them to adhere to the cyber security policies already in place." Their findings show that "keeping their employees satisfied with their job may well be less expensive and more beneficial than repairing the damage of an incident triggered by the employees."

This research reveals that job satisfaction moderates the relationship between behavioral intention and actual security behavior. When employees are happy with their work and feel their values align with the organization, they naturally adopt security-conscious behaviors without requiring constant monitoring or enforcement.

A holistic approach to security compliance

The systematic literature review recommends "a holistic approach integrating ISA training, active management involvement, and reward mechanisms" to foster a culture of security compliance. This integrated strategy addresses both the behavioral and technological dimensions of cybersecurity.

Effective programs should:

• Combine technical controls with human-centered behavioral interventions
• Tailor training to specific roles and responsibilities
• Continuously assess and adapt to organizational dynamics
• Address psychological and social factors alongside technical requirements

As TimesLive concludes, "The right application of gamification will increase participation and improve knowledge retention among your employees, resulting in a stronger security posture and a more positive security culture."

FAQs

Can cybersecurity engagement programs be effective in small or resource-constrained organizations?

Yes, even low-cost initiatives like simplified behaviors, peer champions, and consistent communication can improve security culture.

How should cybersecurity engagement be adapted for different job roles or risk levels?

Engagement is most effective when training and messaging are tailored to the specific threats, tools, and decisions employees face in their roles.

What risks exist if gamification is poorly designed or overused?

Poorly implemented gamification can demotivate employees if it feels unfair, irrelevant, or overly competitive.

How can organizations measure long-term cultural change?

Indicators such as increased voluntary reporting, faster incident escalation, and employee feedback on security confidence can provide insight.