Why strong cybersecurity is important for employees

Internet users spent an average of 6.5 hours of their time online in 2020. And, with this influx of people on the web, more targets emerge for cybercriminals. If you run a small business, it means that you might need to keep an eye on this.

While a breach typically means a loss of customer trust, it can also negatively impact your staff. Employees worried about making a security mistake are generally unhappy, and their mental health could be at risk. Better security means happier workers, so let’s talk about the connection between mental health and cybersecurity and how to make a change in your organization.

Get your employees involved

Your employees aren’t blind to the world. They know that hackers are out there. However, they may not realize cybercriminals often target small businesses because most of them don’t have the resources to protect themselves, or may not even have basic cybersecurity knowledge. If your employees do have this appreciation, all facets of your business can benefit from it.

For one, your employees’ mental health may benefit by further understanding their impact on the business – you can push it by educating them on potential cybersecurity threats, and what they can do to protect their computers and help the company in the process. That might include instructing them on how to make complex passwords that are not easily guessed, teaching them about phishing scams and what they may look like, and showing them other protocols that are specific to your business.

The point is to get your employees involved so that they feel like they are making a difference. In addition to teaching them about the specifics, you should educate them on how to report potential threats if they find them. Provide a clear path on how your employees can reach out either to their managers or directly to the IT team. Once the threat is eliminated, thank the employee for their efforts. They will appreciate the sentiment.

Put proper protocols in place

While your employees will be happy that they are making a difference, they should not have to be concerned about cybersecurity every minute of the day. Instead, management and IT personnel need to work together to prevent hacker threats from occurring in the first place, so employees can have peace of mind and not be fearful that their actions could result in a data breach.

Management needs to be in the front line of protection regarding cybersecurity. Make sure that your organization is secured by a strong firewall and solid encryption protocols. Run antivirus scans several times per week to eliminate all potential threats, and update that software whenever an update becomes available to catch the newest threats. Finally, put backup systems in place so that your employees can continue working even if there is a breach.

Make your employees feel supported

In order for your company to remain productive, you need to have happy employees who are glad to be at work. If your management team continuously supports workers and does everything possible to provide a positive environment, then your employees will show their appreciation through their work, and they will always have positive feedback, even when they leave the company.

As you can see, there is a strong connection between team member happiness and mental health and intelligent cybersecurity. Take the proper steps to protect your company, and your staff will reward you with excellent work.

Miles Oliver, a writer from the US with a background in business, has written this amazing post. Thanks, Miles!