How Executives Can Make Culture Change Stick Using Culture Hacks

Cybersecurity isn’t just about technology—it’s about behavior. When employees overlook secure practices, even the best tools can’t prevent breaches. For executives, this means the real challenge isn’t just deploying the right systems—it’s changing how people think and act.

Traditional methods like long policies or checkbox training often fail to make a lasting impact. What works better? Culture hacks—small, strategic actions that shift habits and embed cybersecurity into everyday routines.

A strong example comes from Wells Fargo. After implementing targeted phishing training, their workforce saw a 40% drop in susceptibility, according to CISO Rich Baich. He noted that consistent investment and regular updates to cyber hygiene practices were key to building a more aware, security-conscious culture (Cybersecurity Ventures Security Awareness Training Report).

In this blog, we’ll explore why culture change so often fails, what makes culture hacks effective, and share 7 proven techniques executives can use to build a lasting culture of cybersecurity.

Why Culture Change Often Fails

Most culture change efforts fail because they focus on policies, not people. Organizations roll out new rules or awareness programs expecting instant transformation—but without changing daily habits, nothing sticks.

Employees are overwhelmed with information, disconnected from the message, or simply unclear on what’s expected. When change feels top-down and irrelevant, it’s ignored.

Executives often underestimate the need for repetition, relevance, and reinforcement. Culture doesn’t shift from a single campaign—it’s built gradually through consistent, visible actions that align with everyday work.

To understand how leaders are currently approaching culture, check out the Keepnet article on Where Security Culture Stands for Executives.

Why It Matters in Cybersecurity

Culture shapes how employees respond to threats. Even with the best security tools in place, a single careless click or ignored policy can lead to a breach.

Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue—it’s a people issue. If your teams don’t understand, value, and practice secure behavior, your defenses are already compromised.

A strong security culture ensures that awareness turns into action, making every employee part of the organization’s first line of defense.

To see what behaviors put your organization most at risk, read about the 6 Human Risk Indicators That Could Compromise Your Cybersecurity.

The Role of Culture in Cybersecurity

Technology sets the foundation for defense, but it’s your culture that determines how people act when threats appear. Without a strong security culture, even the most advanced tools can be undermined by a single human mistake.

Culture influences decision-making in real time—whether someone reports a phishing email, uses strong passwords, or follows secure processes. When security becomes part of everyday thinking, your entire organization becomes more resilient.

The Human Factor Behind Every Breach

Most cyber incidents don’t begin with a system flaw—they start with a human decision. Clicking a malicious link, reusing a password, or skipping a security step can open the door to attackers.

According to the 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report by Verizon, the human element was involved in 68% of breaches, reinforcing that people—not just systems—are the most critical security variable.

And it happens fast. The median time for a user to click on a phishing link is just 21 seconds, followed by another 28 seconds to enter their data. In under a minute, a single click can lead to a breach.

Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast

Even the strongest cybersecurity strategy will fail if it doesn’t align with the organization’s culture. Strategy defines what needs to be done—but culture determines whether it actually happens.

If employees see security as a burden or someone else’s job, they’re unlikely to follow policies, no matter how well-designed. On the other hand, in a culture where security is understood, valued, and shared across all levels, secure behaviors become second nature.

This is why culture is so powerful: it shapes mindsets, influences daily decisions, and determines how people respond in real moments of risk. It turns static plans into living practices—and without it, strategy remains just words on paper.

Explore Keepnet’s guide on building a positive cybersecurity culture to see how employees were empowered to take ownership of everyday security practices.

What Are Culture Hacks? Why Executives Should Care

Culture hacks are small, practical changes that nudge employees toward secure behavior. Think of them as quick wins—like adding phishing simulations, rewarding staff who report threats, or placing security tips in email signatures.

They’re not complex initiatives or long training sessions. Instead, they’re easy-to-deploy actions that fit naturally into daily workflows and reinforce the right habits.

For executives, culture hacks offer a fast, scalable way to build a security-first mindset—without heavy investment or disruption. Over time, these small shifts add up to real, lasting culture change.

Why Culture Hacks Work Better Than Policies Alone

Policies tell people what to do—but culture hacks show them how to do it, and make it stick.

While policies often sit in handbooks unread, culture hacks are active, visible, and part of everyday behavior. They create small, repeated experiences that build habits—something policies alone can’t achieve.

By making secure actions simple and rewarding, culture hacks help employees internalize cybersecurity—not just comply with it.

7 Powerful Culture Hacks to Make Change Stick

Big changes don’t always require big programs. Sometimes, the most effective shifts come from small, smart actions that influence daily behavior.

These seven culture hacks are designed to help executives reinforce secure habits across teams—quickly, consistently, and with minimal disruption. Each one is easy to implement and proven to drive real behavioral change over time.

Let’s explore them one by one.

1. Launch Realistic Simulations

Employees retain secure behaviors more effectively when they practice them in real scenarios. Realistic simulations—like phishing, smishing, quishing, and vishing exercises—train staff to recognize and respond to actual threats in a safe environment.

These hands-on experiences build muscle memory and improve reaction time. Instead of just reading about risks, employees face them in a controlled way that reinforces secure behavior.

Use tools like the Phishing Simulator, Smishing Simulator, Quishing Simulator, and Vishing to run targeted campaigns and measure how employees respond under pressure.

2. Reward Secure Behavior

Positive reinforcement builds stronger habits. When employees report phishing attempts, follow best practices, or complete training, recognizing those actions encourages others to do the same.

Simple rewards—like public shoutouts, leaderboard rankings, or small incentives—can make secure behavior visible and valued across the organization.

By celebrating what’s done right, you shift the focus from punishment to progress, turning cybersecurity into a shared team effort.

Explore how gamification can boost engagement in training with this Keepnet guide: The Power of Gamification in Security Awareness Training.

3. Use Just-in-Time Microlearning

Traditional training is often too long, too generic, and quickly forgotten. Just-in-time microlearning solves this by delivering short, focused lessons in the moment they’re needed—during daily workflows.

Pair this with behavioral nudges—small, timely prompts that guide secure actions, like reminders to double-check links or warnings before sharing sensitive data. These subtle cues help reinforce learning and drive secure behavior without interrupting productivity.

Use tools like Security Awareness Training to deliver targeted, role-specific content that employees can apply immediately.

For guidance on tailoring nudges to specific teams, explore Keepnet’s guide: Customizing Nudges for Specific Roles in Security Behavior and Culture Programs.

4. Track Human Risk with Metrics

You can’t improve what you don’t measure—but it’s not just about tracking activity, it’s about measuring outcomes. Outcome-driven metrics show whether your awareness efforts are truly changing behavior.

Go beyond counting training completions. Focus on real indicators of secure behavior, such as:

• Phishing email reporting rates
• Click rates on simulated attacks
• Response time to phishing simulations
• Repeat offender rates
• Employee engagement with awareness content

These metrics help you pinpoint high-risk areas, tailor your training, and track progress over time. Focusing on real behavioral data helps you understand risk more clearly and support practical, ongoing improvement.

Explore more in Keepnet’s guide: What Are the Metrics for Evaluating Security Awareness Efforts.

5. Use Real Incident Stories

Stories make security real. Abstract threats become relatable when employees hear about actual incidents—especially those that affected their industry, department, or even their own company.

Sharing internal breach reports, near misses, or anonymized examples helps employees connect actions to consequences. It builds awareness without fear and turns past mistakes into learning moments.

Use these stories during training, team meetings, or internal newsletters to reinforce key lessons in a memorable way.

6. Make Leaders Champions

Culture change starts at the top. When executives and managers actively support cybersecurity, employees are more likely to follow suit.

Leaders can set the tone by completing training, participating in phishing simulations, and reinforcing key messages in team meetings. Their involvement shows that security is a priority—not just an IT task.

When leadership models secure behavior, it encourages accountability and helps embed cybersecurity into the organization’s daily rhythm.

7. Add Visual Reminders

Visual cues keep security top of mind. Simple reminders—like posters, screensavers, email banners, or Slack messages—reinforce key behaviors without adding to training time.

Use visuals to highlight phishing tips, password best practices, or reporting steps. Place them in common areas and digital spaces where employees naturally engage.

These cues act as subtle prompts, helping employees remember and repeat secure actions throughout the day. Over time, they reinforce habits and make secure behavior part of the routine—not just something taught in training.

Common Mistakes That Block Culture Change

Even well-intentioned efforts can fall flat if these common missteps aren’t addressed:

• Too much talk, not enough action: When security messages aren’t backed by visible changes or leadership behavior, employees tune out.
• No measurement of progress: Without tracking behaviors like phishing reporting or simulation results, it’s impossible to know what’s working—or where risks remain.
• One-size-fits-all approach: Different departments have different workflows and risks. What resonates with a developer may not connect with HR or finance. Tailoring your approach is key to making it stick.

Culture Hacks in Action: Real Wins

Culture hacks work best when tied to real behaviors and business challenges. That’s exactly what Tiryaki Agro Foods and Wisebits did—using Keepnet’s Human Risk Management platform to close phishing gaps, boost employee vigilance, and build a more security-aware workforce.

Tiryaki Agro Foods: Turning Risk into Readiness

Tiryaki Agro Foods was facing persistent phishing threats. Despite running internal campaigns, employees continued falling for malicious emails. The turning point came when the company adopted Keepnet’s behavior-based training and phishing simulations—delivered across channels like Voice, SMS, and QR codes.

What followed was a cultural shift. Employees became more alert, phishing clicks dropped by 82%, and the rate of employees actively reporting suspicious emails climbed to 93%. Cybersecurity went from being a checklist item to a shared habit across the workforce.

Read the full Tiryaki success story

Wisebits: Building Resilience with Realistic Training

Wisebits initially relied on open-source tools that were time-consuming and delivered little impact. One in four employees failed phishing simulations. The team needed something faster, smarter, and more effective.

With Keepnet Security Awareness Training, they rolled out quick, targeted simulations and gradually introduced more advanced scenarios. In just weeks, phishing failure rates dropped to 3–4%. Employees became more confident, and the IT team gained back valuable time. Security became part of daily workflows—not a disruption.

Read the full Wisebits success story

Make Culture a Daily Habit

A secure culture isn’t built overnight—or with one training session. It’s built through consistent, simple actions that employees repeat every day.

This blog has shown that culture hacks—like realistic simulations, just-in-time learning, visual reminders, and executive involvement—can shift security from a compliance task to a shared mindset. The most effective organizations don’t just train once a year—they reinforce, adapt, and measure constantly.

The real goal is to embed secure behavior into routines so it becomes second nature. When employees recognize threats, report issues, and take ownership, security becomes part of the company’s DNA.

For a deeper look at how to make this long-term shift, explore Keepnet’s guide:

Building a Security-Conscious Corporate Culture: A Roadmap for Success