We regularly hear about cyber threats. They're bad enough on a personal scale, but the effects that a data breach can have on a business are dire. However, L&D can be the organization's friend in preventing hacks. It all starts with training.

The common refrain is that training has no value if it doesn't stick with employees. That is every bit as true when it comes to compliance. Few people want to sit through the videos IT sends during onboarding, but they include essential information. That's where L&D comes into play.

In an interview with HR Dive, Colleen Blake, senior vice president of people at GuideSpark, suggests a new approach in which real-world examples of breaches may be more effective attention-grabbers. Interactivity and in-person training could also improve engagement.

Blake points to a three-pronged approach to training; she calls it the three Os: onboarding, ongoing, and offboarding. It begins with providing new hires with the basics on keeping their personally identifiable information and the company's information private and in compliance. The most important element in data safety, which companies often overlook, is continuous reinforcement of its importance—and that's a dynamic that L&D handles every day. Leverage that expertise to keep your organization protected.