ISO 27001 and Employee Awareness: How to Train Your Staff

When it comes to ISO 27001, technology and policies are only part of the equation.

Your staff are essential to your organisation’s Information Security Management System (ISMS). Even the most robust technical defences can be undermined without well-trained, security-conscious employees. Employee awareness and effective training are critical in achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 compliance.

To help you get started, I also have free training materials woven into a communications plan available on my website. These resources are designed to support organisations in effectively raising employee awareness: Information Security Comms Plan, which forms part of my wider ISO 27001 Toolkit (free download).

ISO 27001 Toolkit

The Importance of Employee Awareness in ISO 27001

ISO 27001 requires organisations to establish processes and ensure that employees understand their responsibilities regarding information security. Staff awareness training is foundational for creating a culture that values data protection and understands potential security threats.

The key benefit of an effective awareness programme is that it reduces the likelihood of human error—one of the most significant risks to information security. When properly trained, staff are better equipped to recognise phishing attempts, handle sensitive information properly, and act swiftly in case of a suspected security incident.

Developing an Effective Training Programme

An additional resource you can utilise is the 21-week Information Security Communications Plan available on my website. This plan offers pre-written content covering key information security topics, such as avoiding malware, understanding GDPR, and recognising social engineering attacks. It includes supporting materials like infographics, quizzes, and links to external resources, making it a valuable tool for reinforcing training topics over time.

Here are some practical steps to create an impactful training programme for employee awareness:

1. Tailor the Content to Different Roles

Not every employee in your organisation needs the same level of information security training. Tailoring content to different roles is crucial.

For example, an HR employee handling personal data will need different training than someone in the IT department handling access controls.

By making training relevant, you are more likely to keep staff engaged and ensure the knowledge applies to their day-to-day work.

2. Use Real-Life Scenarios

Training that feels too abstract will often fail to resonate. Real-life scenarios are a powerful way to bring training to life and help staff understand the actual risks they face.

Walkthrough examples of incidents that have affected other organisations, particularly incidents involving accidental data leaks or successful phishing attacks.

Discussing these scenarios helps highlight the impact of negligence and the importance of each employee's role in the ISMS.

3. Provide Interactive and Engaging Content

One of the most effective ways to train staff is to keep the content engaging.

Traditional slide presentations can be dull and quickly forgotten. Consider using quizzes, gamification, or interactive videos that keep employees engaged and test their understanding.

Role-playing exercises, like mock phishing campaigns, can be a great way to reinforce lessons more memorably.

4. Schedule Regular Refresher Sessions

Information security isn’t static; new threats and technologies always emerge.

Ensure your training programme includes regular refresher sessions, ideally scheduled at least annually or when significant changes to your ISMS occur. This will help keep employees’ skills sharp and their awareness of emerging threats up to date.

5. Foster a Culture of Openness

Encourage employees to speak up if they encounter something suspicious or unsure about a particular practice.

Create an environment where reporting possible security incidents is viewed positively rather than punitively. A culture that supports openness can help ensure that minor issues are reported early before they become major breaches.

6. Measure and Improve

Evaluate the effectiveness of your training by measuring knowledge retention. This can be done through follow-up quizzes, assessments, or simulations (e.g., a mock phishing exercise).

Feedback from employees about the training content and delivery can also be highly valuable in continuously improving your programme.

Raising Awareness Beyond Compliance

Incorporating a structured plan like the 21-week communications plan can help ensure that employee training is consistent and ongoing. By covering critical topics in a phased approach, the plan supports building a lasting culture of awareness and vigilance within your organisation.

While training is essential for achieving compliance, it's also a practical approach to improving your organisation's security posture. Employees who understand the importance of safeguarding information assets are an invaluable defence against attacks, many of which target human weaknesses rather than technical vulnerabilities.

An effective training programme can help you build a strong security culture where every employee understands their role and is committed to the organisation's overall success. It helps mitigate risks and demonstrates your organisation's commitment to security to customers, partners, and auditors.

Tying It All Together

Employee awareness and training are cornerstones of a strong ISMS under ISO 27001. Creating targeted, engaging, and continually evolving training programmes can foster a culture that embraces information security at every level. This training doesn't need to be overly complicated; with the right tools and approach, you can make security accessible and relevant for everyone.

If you want to learn more about developing and delivering effective security awareness training, my training materials are designed to help organisations make this process simple and impactful.

Get in touch to learn more or explore how we can help your team be a key line of defence.

Free Resources

Incorporating free training materials into your ISO 27001 employee awareness programme can enhance its effectiveness without incurring additional costs.

Here are some resources to explore:

1. Advisera's ISO 27001 Free Training Courses: Advisera offers a range of free online courses, including the ISO 27001 Foundations Course, which provides comprehensive insights into the standard's requirements and best practices. (advisera.com)

   
   

2. British Assessment Bureau's ISO 27001 Free Training – Introduction Course: This interactive online course introduces the fundamentals of ISO 27001 and its benefits to businesses. (british-assessment.co.uk)

   
   

3. IT Governance's Free ISO 27001 Resources: IT Governance provides a variety of free materials, such as green papers, infographics, and implementation guides, to assist organisations in understanding and implementing ISO 27001. (itgovernance.co.uk)

   
   

4. ISO27k Toolkit: The ISO27k Toolkit is a collection of generic ISMS-related materials, including templates and guidelines, contributed by members of the ISO27k Forum. These resources can serve as starting points for developing your policies and procedures. (iso27001security.com)

   
   

5. Alison's ISO 27001:2013 - Information Security Free Online Course: Alison offers a free course that covers the latest standards on information security management systems, providing a solid foundation for staff training. (alison.com)

Integrating these free resources into your training programme can provide your staff with diverse and comprehensive materials to enhance their understanding of information security and ISO 27001 compliance.