Do you lock your front door when you leave your house? Most people do. But what happens if you forget to close a window? That door lock becomes meaningless, right?

Now, think about your business. You may have invested in strong cybersecurity, such as firewalls, software updates, and strong passwords, but if employees aren’t following secure practices, all of that protection can be compromised.

It’s not about blaming employees—it’s about awareness. Many workers, especially with the rise of remote work, don’t realize they could be exposing your company to security risks. Research shows that 80% of employees use personal devices for work, but these devices often lack the security measures your company implements.

Personal devices are often not as secure as office systems. They might have weak passwords, outdated software, or be connected to unsecured Wi-Fi networks. These vulnerabilities are a hacker’s dream. Worse, two out of five employees admit to downloading customer data onto personal devices, exposing sensitive information.

The situation is more troubling when you consider that 65% of employees admit to only occasionally or never following cybersecurity rules. Many ignore guidelines about handling work emails or use their devices in risky ways. Nearly half of employees reuse passwords across different work accounts, and over a third use the same password for both work and personal accounts. This creates an opportunity for hackers to access your systems through a compromised individual account.

The solution is education. Teach your team why cybersecurity matters and provide clear, simple security rules. Encourage strong, unique passwords, use only secure devices for work, and never forward work emails to personal accounts. Regular training sessions help support good habits and keep cybersecurity at the forefront of my mind.

You can transform employees from your weakest link into your first line of defense by giving them the right tools and training.