Embedding Security Awareness Training into Employee Onboarding in 2025

Successfully embedding security awareness training into employee onboarding can significantly enhance an organization's cyber resilience. New hires, unfamiliar with company protocols, are particularly vulnerable to phishing and other social engineering attacks. In fact, human error contributes to 60% of security breaches—a risk that can be substantially reduced with proper training. (Source) Notably, organizations have seen user reporting increase fourfold after implementing security awareness programs, highlighting the positive impact of proactive education.

In this blog, we’ll explore effective strategies to integrate security awareness training into onboarding, share practical examples, and discuss approaches that can help build a security-conscious workforce from the start.

Why Embedding Security Awareness Training During Onboarding Matters

Onboarding is a critical phase where new employees learn about company policies, processes, and expectations. Integrating a security awareness training program at this stage is important because new hires are often unfamiliar with potential cyber threats and best practices. Without proper guidance, they may accidentally expose the organization to risks like phishing, social engineering, or data mishandling.

By embedding security training into onboarding, organizations can proactively reduce human error. Starting training from the first day helps employees understand the importance of cybersecurity as a core part of their role. Rather than viewing security as an afterthought or a compliance requirement, new hires learn to see it as a fundamental aspect of their daily tasks. This approach helps establish a security-first mindset, making employees more cautious when handling sensitive information or interacting with unknown digital content.

To learn more about why security awareness is important for organizations, check out Keepnet’s article: Why Organizations Need Security Awareness as a Service.

Key Components of Effective Security Awareness Onboarding

To make security awareness training software effective during onboarding, it’s important to focus on a few key components that address the unique challenges faced by new hires. These elements help employees build the skills and habits needed to recognize, respond to, and prevent cyber threats from the start, fostering a strong security mindset early on.

1. Role-Specific Training

Different roles within an organization face unique security challenges, making tailored training highly effective. For example, IT staff are more likely to encounter technical threats such as malware infections, data breaches, or network vulnerabilities, while customer support teams are at higher risk of falling victim to phishing attempts or social engineering tactics. Similarly, finance teams may deal with risks related to fraudulent transactions or compromised payment systems.

By customizing training modules based on job functions, organizations can ensure that employees learn security practices that directly apply to their daily tasks. This targeted approach not only makes training more relevant and engaging but also equips employees with the practical skills needed to recognize and respond to the specific risks associated with their roles, ultimately strengthening the organization’s overall security posture.

To learn more about role-based security awareness training and how it can be customized, check out Keepnet’s article: What is Role-Based Security Awareness Training, and How Can It Be Customized and Adapted?

2. Practical Scenarios and Hands-On Exercises

Learning through practical scenarios and hands-on exercises helps employees apply security concepts to real situations. Instead of just theory, employees engage in activities like simulated phishing attacks and interactive case studies that mirror actual threats they might encounter. These exercises build practical skills, helping employees recognize suspicious emails, spot social engineering tactics, and respond correctly to potential security incidents.

By practicing in a controlled environment, employees gain confidence and develop the habits needed to handle threats effectively in their daily work.

To see how your employees respond to phishing threats, try Keepnet’s Free Phishing Simulation Test and assess their readiness.

3. Microlearning and Mobile Accessibility

Microlearning delivers short, focused training sessions that make complex security topics easier to understand and remember. By breaking down information into bite-sized lessons, employees can quickly grasp key concepts without feeling overwhelmed. This approach not only improves retention but also keeps engagement high, as employees can complete modules in just a few minutes.

Pairing microlearning with mobile accessibility ensures that training is available anytime, anywhere—ideal for remote and hybrid workers who may not always be at a desk. Whether it’s a quick lesson on identifying phishing emails or a brief tutorial on password security, employees can conveniently access content from their smartphones or tablets. This flexible method makes it easier to fit training into busy schedules, promoting consistent learning without disrupting daily tasks.

4. Continuous Feedback and Assessment

Regular feedback and assessment are key to ensuring that security awareness training is effective and relevant. By conducting quizzes, surveys, and follow-up evaluations, organizations can gauge how well employees understand key concepts and identify areas needing improvement. Immediate feedback after exercises, like phishing simulations, helps employees learn from mistakes and reinforces correct practices.

Tracking progress and gathering insights from assessments not only improves training quality but also keeps employees engaged and motivated to enhance their cybersecurity skills.

Focusing on these key components ensures that security awareness training during onboarding is practical, engaging, and aligned with employees’ roles, leading to long-term security habits and reduced risks.

To learn more about the impact of real-time feedback in phishing simulations, explore Keepnet’s article: Real-Time Feedback in Phishing Simulation: Enhancing Learning Outcomes.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Onboarding Security Training

To ensure that onboarding security training is making a real impact, it’s important to measure its effectiveness. Start by tracking quantitative metrics that provide clear insights into training outcomes. Key metrics to monitor include:

• Training Completion Rates: Measure how many employees complete the entire onboarding security training. High completion rates indicate good participation and engagement.
• Quiz Scores and Knowledge Retention: Track the average scores from post-training assessments to evaluate how well employees understand key security concepts.
• Reduction in Security Incidents: Compare the number of security breaches or incidents before and after training to see if there’s a decrease, indicating improved awareness.
• Phishing Simulation Success Rate: Monitor how many employees correctly identify and report phishing attempts during simulated exercises.
• Time Taken to Complete Training Modules: Analyze how long employees spend on each module to gauge engagement and efficiency.
• Dwell Time on Training Content: Measure how long employees spend on specific topics. Longer dwell times may indicate engagement, while shorter times might signal skimming or a lack of understanding.
• Reporting Rate of Suspicious Activities: Track the frequency of employees reporting potential threats, as increased reporting suggests greater vigilance.
• Follow-Up Support Requests: Measure the number of help requests related to security issues after training, as fewer inquiries may indicate better comprehension.

By regularly analyzing these metrics, organizations can assess the effectiveness of onboarding security training, make data-driven improvements, and ensure that new hires are equipped to handle potential security challenges.

For a more in-depth understanding of evaluating security awareness efforts, check out Keepnet’s article: What are the Metrics for Evaluating Security Awareness Efforts.

Keepnet Security Awareness Training: The Smart Choice for Onboarding

Keepnet Security Awareness Training is designed to help organizations seamlessly integrate cybersecurity education into the onboarding process. It equips new hires with practical skills to recognize and respond to threats like phishing, malware, and social engineering. Through targeted sessions, hands-on phishing simulation tool, and engaging content, employees build the confidence to manage cybersecurity risks while staying compliant with regulations.

Why Choose Keepnet Security Awareness Training?

• Comprehensive Content: Access 2,100+ training materials from 15+ providers in 36+ languages. The extensive library covers various cyber threats, allowing for tailored training that meets the specific needs of diverse teams.
• Engaging Learning: Keep employees motivated with gamification, including points, badges, and challenges. This interactive approach makes training enjoyable and encourages consistent participation, leading to better knowledge retention.
• Real-Life Scenarios: Use 90-second real stories to demonstrate how cyber threats unfold in typical workplace situations. These short, impactful scenarios make security concepts easier to understand and apply.
• Behavioral Change: Incorporate behavior science techniques to foster lasting security habits. The training focuses on how people learn and adapt, promoting consistent behavior change rather than just short-term knowledge.
• Retention Boost: Reinforce key security practices with visual reminders like posters, screensavers, and infographics. These subtle cues help keep security awareness active in employees' minds throughout their workday.
• Flexible Delivery: Reach employees without email or internet access by delivering training via SMS. This ensures that all staff, including those in remote or field roles, stay informed and trained.

By combining diverse content, interactive methods, behavioral insights, and flexible delivery, Keepnet Security Awareness Training helps new hires develop practical cybersecurity skills from the start, reducing risks and building a resilient workforce.

Best Practices for Seamless Integration

Integrating security awareness training into the onboarding process requires a structured approach to ensure effectiveness and engagement. The table below outlines the best practices to make the integration smooth and impactful:

Table 1: Best Practices for Seamless Integration

By implementing these best practices, organizations can seamlessly integrate security awareness training into the onboarding process, helping new hires develop the skills needed to handle potential cyber threats with confidence.

Future Outlook: The Role of AI and Personalization

As cyber threats continue to evolve, integrating AI and personalization into security awareness training will become increasingly important. AI-driven tools can analyze employee behavior, identify knowledge gaps, and deliver customized training content that addresses specific weaknesses. This adaptive approach ensures that employees receive relevant and targeted guidance, enhancing learning effectiveness.

Personalization makes training more engaging by tailoring content to individual roles and experience levels, making it practical and relatable. As organizations strive to build a security-aware culture, leveraging AI and personalized training methods will help employees stay prepared to recognize and respond to emerging threats.

To learn more about how AI can enhance security awareness, check out Keepnet’s blog: How Keepnet's AI-Powered Phishing Simulator Delivers Hyper-Personalized Security Awareness.