The Power of Preferred Language in Hyper-Personalized Security Awareness Training

With teams spread across different countries and cultures, a one-size-fits-all approach to security awareness training simply doesn’t work. Employees engage best when training feels natural to them—and that starts with language.

At Keepnet, our platform enables phishing simulations and training in employees' preferred languages, ensuring messages are clear, relatable, and impactful. This AI-driven customization is at the heart of our hyper-personalized security awareness program.

In this blog post, we’ll explore why language matters, how Keepnet optimizes training through localization, and the research-backed benefits of this approach.

Why Preferred Language Matters in Cybersecurity Training

Language isn’t just a tool for communication—it shapes how people learn, engage, and retain information. In cybersecurity training, using an employee’s preferred language ensures they fully understand critical concepts, stay engaged, and apply best practices effectively. Far from being a minor detail, it’s a key factor in building a resilient security culture and reducing human error.

Improved Comprehension and Retention

Employees learn best in their native or preferred language, allowing them to grasp complex cybersecurity topics—like phishing tactics or data protection—more effectively. A World Bank (2023) study found that students performed worse in math and science when instruction shifted from their native language to English, proving that language directly impacts learning outcomes. Similarly, workplace training in native languages improves understanding and reduces errors—critical in cybersecurity awareness training (ITC, 2023).

“Learning in one’s primary language taps into human psychology, enhancing comprehension and retention—essential for mastering cybersecurity skills. In a multilingual world, tailoring training to linguistic preferences not only bridges cultural divides but also strengthens our defenses against digital threats.”

Boosted Engagement and Cultural Relevance

Employees are more likely to engage with cybersecurity training when it’s delivered in their native language. Training in a familiar language removes learning barriers, increases participation, and makes content more culturally relevant.

According to ACTFL (2023), language strengthens cultural understanding, fostering a sense of belonging in diverse workplaces. When cybersecurity training is in an employee’s native language, they engage more and absorb information better. Cornerstone Healthcare Training (2023) highlights that native language learning boosts confidence, reduces confusion, and improves retention—ensuring employees fully grasp and apply security best practices.

Reduced Risk and Enhanced Safety

Language barriers create security risks, making clear communication essential in cybersecurity training. HSI research (2023) found that safety training delivered in an employee’s native language significantly reduces errors, improving overall workplace security. The same principle applies to cybersecurity awareness—when employees fully understand security protocols, they are less likely to fall for phishing attacks or mishandle sensitive data.

Miscommunication in critical areas can lead to serious consequences, reinforcing the need for language-specific training to minimize risks and strengthen an organization’s cyber resilience.

Cost Savings and Retention Benefits

Implementing cybersecurity training in employees' native languages can lead to significant cost savings. RelayPro reports that language barriers in industrial settings cost companies an average of $500,000 annually due to miscommunication and inefficiencies. (RelayPro)

By eliminating language barriers, organizations can reduce errors, improve efficiency, and maximize the impact of their security awareness training without incurring additional costs for repeated sessions.

How Keepnet Handles Preferred Language: A Dual-Layer Approach

Traditional security awareness training often fails to engage a diverse workforce. Keepnet’s multi-language support ensures phishing simulations and training are both universally accessible and individually customized. Our dual-layer approach balances company-wide consistency with user-specific language preferences, delivering a hyper-personalized experience.

1. Company’s Preferred Language: The Foundation

Admins set a Company’s Preferred Language (default: English) for all phishing campaigns and training materials, ensuring a consistent security training standard across the organization.

2. User’s Preferred Language: The Hyper-Personalized Edge

With hyper-personalization enabled, Keepnet prioritizes an employee’s preferred language for phishing simulations and training enrollments. If the content is available in the user’s language, it is assigned automatically. Otherwise, the system defaults to the Company’s Preferred Language, and if unavailable, falls back to English.

This feature benefits multinational organizations, where employees receive training in their native language, leading to better comprehension, engagement, and security awareness. Admins can enable this setting manually or integrate it with HR systems, making it scalable for large workforces.

Success Story: Securing Retail Operations with Keepnet Multilingual Training

A US-based retail company with 27,000 employees across 25 countries needed a scalable solution to train its workforce against QR code phishing. Keepnet’s multilingual training ensured employees received localized phishing simulations and awareness programs, enhancing engagement and security response without language limitations.

Key Outcomes

• Saved $89,500 per year in incident handling costs
• Prevented $1.89M in potential losses annually
• Improved QR phishing detection by 91% in a year

Read the full success story: Securing Retail Operations

Success Story: Enhancing Smishing Awareness in a Global Hotel Chain

An international hotel chain with 85 locations and 8,000 employees needed a way to combat localized smishing attacks across its global workforce. Keepnet’s Smishing Simulator delivered automated, multilingual training, improving threat recognition and response without language limitations.

Key Outcomes

• Saved $239,940 in incident analysis costs
• Prevented $1.28M in potential losses annually
• Boosted smishing awareness by 87% in three months

Read the full success story: Hotel Chain’s Triumph Over Smishing

Why It Matters

By adapting training to employees’ linguistic preferences, Keepnet improves engagement, comprehension, and cybersecurity readiness. Our hyper-personalized approach ensures employees across global enterprises receive security training in their preferred language, making cybersecurity awareness more effective, inclusive, and impactful.

Why Hyper-Personalized Language Settings Are a Strategic Advantage

Training in an employee’s preferred language improves comprehension, reduces security risks, and lowers training costs—key pillars of effective cybersecurity awareness. Keepnet’s adaptive multilanguage approach ensures organizations can deliver targeted, engaging, and efficient security training at scale.

Check out Keepnet Security Awareness Training to implement hyper-personalized, multilingual cybersecurity training in your organization: Keepnet Security Awareness Training.