If we’re being straightforward about it, a lot of phishing training programs simply miss the mark.
Once a year, employees sit through a mandatory cybersecurity module. They click through slides about “being cautious,” guess their way through a quiz, and check the completion box. Management gets a report showing 100% participation, and everyone moves on.
Meanwhile, cybercriminals haven’t hit the pause button.
Phishing – emails or messages designed to trick someone into clicking a link, sharing credentials, or opening the door to a larger attack – continues to be one of the most common entry points for data breaches. Roughly 15% of breaches start with someone being fooled by a message that looked legitimate enough in the moment.
Awareness has gone up. The attacks have gotten better. And the old training methods aren’t keeping pace.
The core issue is simple: traditional training doesn’t change habits.
Employees are overwhelmed, rushed, and trying to move through their inbox quickly. A realistic phishing email doesn’t announce itself. It shows up during a busy morning, looks like a routine request, and catches someone who’s trying to get through a stack of tasks.
A once-a-year slideshow doesn’t prepare anyone for that.
Most people learn best when training is ongoing, practical, and relevant to what they actually see day to day. They need to experience situations that feel real – not just read about them. And they need repetition. Cybersecurity isn’t something you absorb one time and remember forever; it’s something you reinforce over and over.
That’s why phishing training needs a full overhaul.
Instead of a yearly “compliance event,” think of phishing awareness the same way you think about good hygiene. You don’t brush your teeth once a year. You do it regularly, because small habits prevent big problems. Cybersecurity works the same way.
Effective programs deliver short, frequent lessons that become part of the workplace rhythm. Simulated phishing tests keep people sharp and build real-world instincts. Small tips are delivered at the right moments – like inside email clients – so learning happens naturally. When done well, this kind of training stops feeling like homework and starts feeling like a shared responsibility.
Culture plays an important role too. Employees must feel safe reporting suspicious messages. No finger-pointing. No embarrassment. The companies that reduce incidents the most are the ones where people feel comfortable saying, “This looks strange, can someone check it?”
Engagement matters as well. Dry presentations don’t work. Interactive challenges, short quizzes, friendly competition, and real examples make people pay attention. Many businesses are surprised at how much participation jumps when training is practical and even a little fun.
Of course, no training replaces the need for strong security controls. Staff can be thoughtful and well-trained and still make a mistake – that’s human nature. This is why tools like multi-factor authentication, strict access controls, email filtering, and secure backups are non-negotiable.
Training reduces the odds of a bad click. Technology ensures that one mistake doesn’t shut your business down.
If your phishing training program hasn’t evolved in several years, now is the right time to revisit it. The threats have changed. Your staff’s workload has changed. And your defenses should change with them.
Your team deserves training that works. Your business deserves protection that holds up under real pressure.
If you’re ready to build a program that actually improves security – not just checks a box – Tech Experts can help. Reach out and we’ll walk you through the next steps.