Learning: Embed Security into Culture

Published in Member Communities on October 27, 2025

This article was written by Jill Blaser, Senior Director of Operations, VGM Education, originally featured in HME News

Q. What are some effective ways organizations can educate their teams about cybersecurity to foster a culture of awareness and responsibility?

A. In today’s digital landscape, cybersecurity is a shared organizational priority, not just an IT concern. The financial and reputational costs of a breach can be severe, including incident response, legal fees, regulatory fines, and loss of customer trust. Investing in proactive education and robust security practices is far less costly than dealing with the aftermath of a successful attack.

Organizations should implement human-centric cybersecurity training that is inclusive, ongoing, and tailored to real-world threats such as phishing, social engineering, and physical breaches. Employees must understand that their actions directly impact organizational safety. As emphasized in VGM’s internal training materials, awareness and education are the best defenses against preventable security incidents. Training should be role-specific and regularly updated to keep pace with evolving threats.

Leadership commitment is crucial. When executives model best practices and prioritize security in communications and decision-making, it signals to employees that cybersecurity is a core value – not just a compliance checkbox. Leadership engagement helps embed security into the organization’s culture.

To keep training engaging, organizations should use interactive formats like gamified modules, simulations, and scenario-based learning. These methods help employees retain information and apply it in their daily roles.

A culture of open communication is essential. Employees should feel safe reporting suspicious activity without fear of reprisal. Clear reporting channels and supportive leadership encourage proactive behavior and early threat detection.

By integrating continuous education, leadership engagement, practical training, and open dialogue, organizations can transform cybersecurity from a technical mandate into a cultural cornerstone, empowering every employee to be a vigilant guardian of information.

Jill Blaser is Senior Director of Operations of VGM Education at VGM & Associates. Reach her at jill.blaser@vgm.com.

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