During the recruitment and initial training of an employee, businesses could potentially reduce the chance of future errors if they invest in proper education and orientation tools. Errors related to online and data security are particularly worrisome, as these may both cost a company money and put important information at risk. SHRM recently cited a study from CompTIA that looked at the connection between training and error.
Although nearly 60 percent of the companies covered in the survey use systems for data loss prevention, fewer than 60 percent of the 1,000 polled executives and tech professionals said they train employees on cybersecurity.
Moreover, the cause of human error in security breaches was said to be “general carelessness” in 42 percent of responses. Just 65 percent of those companies that do offer cybersecurity training said that it is “ongoing” at their business, rather than just offered at the beginning. More than half of security breaches were said to stem from human error.
The issue of cybersecurity-readiness in the workforce extends to those who would actually pursue cybersecurity careers. A study from NCSA and Raytheon recently found that 63 percent of 1,000 millennials (between ages 18 and 26) “are not aware of the tasks and responsibilities in ‘cybersecurity’ jobs,” and 48 percent would like more information about such opportunities.
If the incoming workforce is actively concerned about security training, companies can respond by organizing their HR departments to make this a part of recruiting and managing new hires. With the right HR system implementation, managers will have the tools to improve particular weak points in their recruiting and training programs and address the chance of problematic workforce errors. Accounting for employee mistakes may also factor into other areas, like evaluating performance.