Cybersecurity Awareness Training: How Often Should You Run It?

In today’s digital workplace, cyber threats are constant, and evolving. From phishing scams to ransomware, every employee is a potential target. One mistake can lead to major security and financial consequences.

While firewalls and antivirus software help, your first line of defense is your people. That’s where cybersecurity awareness training becomes critical. But how often should it happen? Once a year? Every quarter? Monthly?

Let’s break it down.

Why Cybersecurity Training Needs to Be Consistent and Ongoing

Most breaches happen because of human error. An employee opens a malicious link. Someone reuses a weak password. A team member connects to public Wi-Fi without proper precautions.

Even if you've already run a training session, new threats and tactics emerge constantly. Cybercriminals are always innovating, therefore so should your training.

Frequent training reinforces best practices and builds a security-first culture where employees stay alert.

Recommended Training Frequency

While your schedule should reflect your industry and team size, a strong baseline includes:

Quarterly Training Sessions

Running cybersecurity awareness training every three months keeps security top-of-mind without overwhelming your team. Each session can focus on a specific theme like phishing, data privacy, or remote work safety.

Monthly Phishing Simulations

Regular phishing tests help assess your team’s real-world readiness. When employees click suspicious links in a simulated environment, it highlights where extra training is needed.

New Hire Onboarding

Every new employee should receive cybersecurity training within their first week. This builds habits from day one and ensures consistent knowledge across the company.

Microlearning Reminders

Quick monthly refreshers, think 2-3 minute videos or short quizzes. These are effective and easy to digest.

What Topics Should Training Cover?

Cybersecurity training should be practical and relevant. Topics might include:

• How to spot phishing and social engineering attacks
  
  
• Secure password creation and management
  
  
• Using multi-factor authentication (MFA)
  
  
• Handling sensitive data
  
  
• Remote work and device security
  
  
• Recognizing and reporting suspicious activity
  
  

For teams like finance or HR, consider role-specific content, such as how to detect wire fraud or protect employee records.

Tips to Keep Training Engaging

Too many organizations treat training as a checkbox item. To be effective, your program should be:

• Interactive: Use polls, videos, and scenario-based learning
  
  
• Consistent: Reinforce messages over time, not just once a year
  
  
• Measurable: Track participation and progress
  
  
• Rewarding: Recognize employees who report phishing or demonstrate good habits
  
  

What If You’re in a Regulated Industry?

Some industries require specific training frequencies. For example:

• Healthcare (HIPAA): Annual training, with periodic updates
  
  
• Finance (SEC/FINRA): Ongoing employee training is expected
  
  
• Government Contractors (CMMC/NIST): Regular awareness training is required
  
  

Check with your compliance officer or IT provider to stay aligned with industry regulations.

Warning Signs Your Training Isn’t Working

Even if you’re training regularly, here are signs your efforts may need improvement:

• Low engagement or participation
  
  
• Employees failing phishing simulations
  
  
• Confusion around data handling policies
  
  
• Lack of reported incidents (which may mean issues are going unnoticed)
  
  

In these cases, try changing the format, shortening the content, or making it more relevant to daily work.

Turn Training Into Culture

The goal isn’t just awareness, it’s behavior change. Cybersecurity training should feel like part of your team’s regular rhythm, not a once-a-year interruption.

Consider working with a managed IT provider to build a sustainable training program. They can handle training delivery, phishing simulations, reporting, and policy updates, so you can focus on running your business.

Bottom line: Run cybersecurity awareness training at least quarterly, with ongoing microlearning and phishing tests in between. Frequent, relevant training protects your business, your data, and your people.