How to Build a Human Risk Strategy for the Future: Strategy, Management & KPIs

Understanding the Changing Landscape of Human Risk

In the past few years, human behaviour has become a critical component of an organisation's overall cybersecurity posture. Cybercriminals are no longer just exploiting vulnerabilities in technology; they are increasingly manipulating people to bypass technical defences. Human error, such as falling for phishing attacks or mishandling sensitive data, has become a leading cause of data breaches.

The landscape of human risk management is rapidly evolving. What was once a simple compliance check has now become a strategic priority. Organisations must move beyond basic training and adopt a proactive, data-driven approach to manage human risk.

As Emma Hollinrake from Phishing Tackle explains:

"What started as basic awareness training has now evolved into an entire industry focused on human risk management. It is no longer just about compliance; it is about actively protecting your organisation from cyber threats driven by human error.”

What Is a Human Risk Strategy?

A human risk strategy is a comprehensive, formal plan to manage human vulnerabilities within an organisation. It goes beyond one-off training sessions to create a continuous, strategic effort aimed at reducing risks associated with human error. This strategy involves:

• Identifying human risk areas within the organisation.
• Tailoring training and mitigation efforts to role-specific needs.
• Tracking progress using KPIs and measurable metrics.
• Adapting the strategy regularly to address new risks and emerging threats.
  
  

As organisations recognise the impact of human behaviour on cybersecurity, the need for proactive human risk management has never been more urgent.

Establish Clear Ownership and Accountability

For a human risk strategy to be effective, it must have clear ownership across the organisation. Human risk management can no longer be a task solely for IT or HR; it needs involvement from leadership and every department.

As Emma points out:

“What we have seen is that boards and shareholders are now demanding to know what organisations are doing to protect their data and people. It is no longer just a nice-to-have. If organisations fail to comply, the financial and reputational consequences are massive.”

Executive leadership must be directly accountable for human risk, and department heads should ensure that their teams are actively engaged in mitigating human risk. Ownership and accountability at all levels ensure that human risk is prioritised across the organisation.

Identify and Assess Human Risk

Before implementing a human risk strategy, businesses must identify where the risks lie. Human risk manifests in various ways:

• Employee behaviour: Are employees likely to fall for phishing attacks or mishandle sensitive data?
• Technological gaps: Are certain tools or platforms more vulnerable to human-driven mistakes?
• Cultural factors: Does the company foster a security-aware culture?
  
  

A role-based risk assessment is critical in tailoring the strategy for specific departments. For example:

• The finance team may face risks related to business email compromise and invoice fraud.
• The HR department may be targeted due to the sensitive personal data they handle.
• The sales team may be at risk from social engineering attacks or credential theft.
  
  

Emma highlights:

"Organisations now need a strategy that considers the different departments within their company. For example, the finance department will have different training needs compared to HR because they handle more sensitive data."

By identifying role-specific risks, organisations can implement focused training and testing programmes.

Set Measurable KPIs and Track Effectiveness

KPIs are essential to track the effectiveness of a human risk strategy. Without measurable metrics, organisations cannot determine if their efforts are reducing human risk.

Key KPIs to consider:

• Training completion rates: Ensuring employees complete the necessary training on time.
• Phishing simulation performance: Tracking employees' ability to identify and respond to phishing attempts.
• Risk reduction over time: Measuring improvements in employee behaviour and response to security tests.
• Departmental engagement: Monitoring how well different departments perform in human risk training.
  
  

Emma stresses:

“The KPIs are critical because they show that you are not just doing the training, but that it is effective. If your training completion rate is low or your phishing simulation results show high-risk behaviours, that is a clear indication that your human risk strategy needs to be addressed.”

Adapt Your Strategy to Emerging Risks

Human risk management cannot remain static. As cyber threats evolve, so too must the strategy. Hackers are increasingly exploiting new platforms such as social media, mobile apps, and collaboration tools to exploit human vulnerabilities. A future-proof strategy must address multi-channel threats.

Emma notes:

“The landscape has changed. Phishing is still a huge issue, but we are also seeing risks emerge through platforms like WhatsApp and Microsoft Teams. These new attack vectors require fresh training and testing strategies.”

Foster a Security-Conscious Culture

Employee engagement is critical to the success of a human risk strategy. To reduce human risk, businesses must embed a security-conscious culture throughout the organisation. Employees need to see the value in the training and feel empowered to take ownership of their own cybersecurity behaviour.

Key ways to foster this culture:

• Regular communication about human risk.
• Security champions within teams to reinforce key messages.
• Creating a safe environment where employees feel comfortable reporting suspicious activities without fear of punishment.
  
  

Continuously Review and Improve the Strategy

Human risk management is an ongoing process. Organisations must regularly review their strategies to ensure they are effective in mitigating new threats. Feedback loops should include:

• Post-training evaluations to assess employee engagement.
• Incident reviews to learn from security breaches or near misses.
• Annual reviews of the strategy to ensure its continued relevance.
  
  

A future-focused strategy must be flexible and able to adapt to emerging threats.

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A Proactive, Data-Driven Human Risk Strategy

A proactive, data-driven approach to human risk management is essential for protecting businesses from cyber threats. Organisations must continuously assess and improve their human risk strategies, ensuring they are equipped to handle the evolving landscape of threats.

By adopting a strategic approach that includes tailored training, KPIs, and ongoing testing, businesses can reduce human risk and ensure resilience.

Phishing Tackle offers a comprehensive solution to help organisations stay ahead of evolving risks, with real-time behavioural insights, multi-channel testing, and automated phishing simulations that ensure compliance and reduce vulnerabilities.

Contact us today to learn how Phishing Tackle can help strengthen your human risk strategy.

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