With more than 2,000 cyberattacks happening daily, and more than 95% of them being the result of human error, would you be surprised if I told you the issue isn’t your team member, Bob? Bob may click on a malicious link or inadvertently share his password, and, yes, that’s a problem. But the issue itself is actually more deeply rooted in your organization.
While individual people do play a role, the challenge goes beyond individual human actions. That’s right. The real issue isn’t just careless mistakes. It’s the culture you create within your company that lays the foundation for Bob’s mistake. You see, a poor culture isn’t just bad for business. It’s a major security threat.
Think of it this way. Imagine one of your employees is already on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP). They click on a malicious link. They weren’t simply careless. They were disengaged or worse yet, angry. Now you have a significant security breach that puts your organization at risk. That wasn’t just a case of poor performance. It was a symptom of a toxic culture.
People are the backbone of your security. If employees are unhappy, unmotivated, or disconnected from the mission, they won’t care about the impact of their actions. This opens the door to costly mistakes, or worse, intentional harm. When your team stops caring, your security suffers.
Why Culture Matters to Security
The culture you create directly shapes how your employees behave. When security is seen as “someone else’s job,” it gets neglected. However, when everyone understands that security is their responsibility and they see how their actions could impact the company, their colleagues, and their own job, then they become invested. The team as a whole becomes your strongest line of defense. Without that buy-in, even the most advanced tools and systems won’t protect you from threats.
Insider threats can be illusive. They don’t always come from malicious actors; for example, sometimes they stem from employees who are disengaged or frustrated. The fact is, when someone doesn’t care about company policies or the consequences of their actions, they’re more likely to ignore security protocols. Whether it’s skipping a security step or clicking on a suspicious link, the result is the same: increased risk to the company.
It would be great if the answer to this problem was more technology like better firewalls, more training, or newer tools. But more technology simply isn’t the answer. While these are essential, they won’t solve the problem if you don’t address the human element. A culture where employees don’t care about security is a culture that will continue to face breaches, no matter how advanced your technology is.
The Hidden Threat of Disengaged Employees
When employees mentally check out, productivity drops, and risk rises. Remember the employee who was already on a PIP and clicked on a malicious link? This wasn’t a random mistake. The employee had mentally disengaged from their work long before the incident, and everyone on the team knew it. They didn’t care about protecting the organization, and that lack of care opened the door to a breach.
But you know what? A disengaged employee like this doesn’t have to become a risk. If leaders had addressed the problem sooner, that individual could have been removed from a position of trust. Instead, the entire company was left dealing with the fallout of a preventable security incident.
Taking Control of Your Company’s Culture
As a leader responsible for protecting your organization and your clients, it’s critical to focus on the human aspect of security. Technology alone can’t solve the problem. The foundation of security is the culture you create within your team and your client’s teams.
Start by examining your own company. Are your employees engaged? Do they understand that security is part of their job, or are they just going through the motions? If your company culture doesn’t prioritize security, your organization is already at risk.
Next, think about your clients. Are they fostering a culture of accountability and security awareness? Or are they relying on their IT department to handle everything while employees ignore basic security practices? If employees aren’t invested in keeping the company safe, your clients’ security posture is compromised.
Action Steps for Building a Security-Conscious Culture
- Evaluate Your Internal Culture: Before you can expect security improvements from others, make sure your own team is on the same page. Are your employees actively following security protocols? Are they engaged in protecting the organization? If not, start there. Leadership must set the example.
- Talk About Culture with Clients: Security isn’t just a technology issue—it’s a culture issue. Help your clients understand that without employee buy-in, no security system is foolproof. Discuss the risks of insider threats and the damage a disengaged employee can cause.
- Make Security Engagement a Habit: Security should be part of your daily operations. Whether it’s through ongoing training, regular phishing simulations, or consistent communication about emerging risks, employees must remain actively engaged. Make it part of their day-to-day, not just a yearly checklist item.
- Address Disengagement Proactively: If you or your clients have employees who are checked out, don’t wait for a security incident. Get ahead of the problem by either re-engaging those employees or removing them from sensitive positions. A disengaged employee isn’t just a performance issue—they’re a liability to your entire security system.
At the end of the day, culture isn’t just an HR issue. It’s a security priority. If you’re serious about protecting your company and your clients, you need to prioritize fostering a culture where employees understand the importance of security.
It’s important to never take for granted that when people care, they can be your greatest security asset. However, when they stop caring, they become your biggest risk.
