People aren’t the weakest link, they’re the most fatigued one. Between endless alerts, new/changing policies, and constant warnings about “the next big threat” (and yes, vendors contribute to this!), even dedicated and security-mature employees can tune out. Let’s talk about how to make security awareness stick without burning everyone out.
We’ve all seen it: another phishing simulation email, another password change prompt, another reminder to “stay vigilant” posted in the breakroom or company intranet (wait, do people still have those things?). After a while, the messages start to blur together. The same employees who once flagged suspicious links now roll their eyes and click “dismiss.” That’s not carelessness, it’s security fatigue, and it doesn’t only apply to SOC analysts.
Security fatigue happens when people are bombarded with so many warnings, alerts, and rules that they just shut down. It’s like the digital version of “crying wolf.” And when everyone’s tired of hearing the message, any message, the message stops landing.
Modern organizations have layered on tool after tool, policy after policy, all in the name of better protection. The intention is right (and needed most of the time), but the result is that users are often:
Meanwhile, the IT and security teams are also tired. Alert fatigue is real for them too. You can’t fault people for eventually tuning out. They’re not ignoring security because they don’t care. They’re ignoring it because they’re overwhelmed.
You can’t train fatigue away, but you can design around it. Here’s how:
No one remembers the 60-minute video with stock photos and generic advice. Instead, use short, story-based examples that connect to your organization’s actual risks. People remember what feels real, especially when they can picture it happening to them or their team.
One example: employees that work at ‘Acme Bank’ often do their personal finances there too. Find your own way to remind employees of the gravity of the data they handle by giving them a valid personal stake, one that perhaps ties into their work lives.
Not every policy needs to be a hill to die on. If your workforce struggles with phishing but you’re spending hours teaching them how to select strong passwords, you’re missing a key opportunity to strengthen your message. Find out their “why.” Understand the drivers behind the challenges in adopting new policies, toolsets, technologies, etc. The answers should inform how you improve your approach and garner some goodwill along the way.
If someone falls for a simulated phishing email, the worst thing you can do is publicly shame them (at least at first!). Instead, turn it into a coaching moment. Celebrate the people who report real threats; positive reinforcement goes a long way toward building the right culture.
The more tools you deploy, the more alerts users and admins see. Consolidate where you can. Streamline notifications. Make the secure path the easy path. In some environments, this may require new technologies… but not always. In many scenarios tuning the existing tooling nets positive results with little to no cost to the organization.
When leadership treats security as everyone’s business (not just “an IT thing”), employees follow suit. A 30-second message from an executive about why security matters to the business is more powerful than any slide deck. Most importantly, live what you preach: you can’t have the CEO propping side doors open (literally or figuratively speaking). The optics matter.
Security shouldn’t feel like friction. It should feel like a natural part of work. That means creating systems and culture that support people, not punish them. When you reduce noise, align policies to real risks, and treat employees as partners in defense rather than potential liabilities, awareness becomes less about compliance and more about confidence.
Because the truth is, people aren’t your weakest link; they’re your first line of defense (likely not the first time you’ve heard this). They just need a fighting chance to care again.
Feeling the fatigue in your organization? Maybe it’s time to rethink how security awareness is done. Let’s talk about building something that actually works.