Cybersecurity is often viewed as a technical domain managed solely by IT departments, but in reality, it’s a shared responsibility—and Human Resources (HR) plays a vital role as a cybersecurity advocate within any organization. Cyber threats like phishing, social engineering, and insider attacks often target people rather than systems, making employee behavior one of the most critical risk factors. HR is uniquely positioned to influence that behavior from the start of the employee lifecycle. During onboarding, HR introduces cybersecurity policies and sets expectations around secure conduct. Throughout employment, HR facilitates regular awareness training, reinforces compliance with data protection standards, and helps foster a security-conscious culture. Beyond education, HR also plays a key role in managing access control by coordinating closely with IT to ensure timely onboarding and offboarding of user accounts. They help detect behavioral red flags that may indicate insider threats and ensure that violations are handled fairly and consistently. In times of a breach, HR supports internal communication, manages employee concerns, and helps reduce organizational stress. As remote work and personal device use become more common, HR also helps define policies that balance flexibility with security. Ultimately, HR is essential in transforming cybersecurity from a technical task into a people-first, organization-wide responsibility.
