Human - the weakest or the strongest link? The role of organisational culture in ensuring security of remote work

Abstract

Objectives Specialists dealing with cyber security of organisations often cite the saying that a chain is only as strong as the weakest link in it. Experts alert that human error is the cause of more than half of the events in which corporate data has been lost. This issue becomes crucial in the times of widespread remote work. Since many professional duties have been performed recently at home or ‘café’ environment, organisations have been exposed to numerous threats, financial and image losses. The aim of the article is to analyse these threats and to discuss the role of organisational culture in creating working environment ensuring cyber security. Material and methods The starting point is the presentation of cyber security threats related to individual forms of remote work, such as work on company computer equipment outside the employer's premises, work on private computer equipment and work on computer equipment provided by a coworking centre. Results Then, (based on the classic concept of Edgar Schein), three levels of organisational culture will be presented. Conclusions Eventually, the article will indicate actions to be taken at each of these levels in order to foster employees’ behaviour aimed at increasing cyber security.

Keywords

• training policy
• hrm
• cyber security
• organisational culture
• remote work