Here’s an uncomfortable truth: that phishing simulation program you’re so proud of might be making your organization less secure, not more. We see it all the time – organizations running gotcha-style phishing tests that leave employees feeling tricked, paranoid, and ultimately less likely to engage with security.

Don’t get us wrong – phishing simulations can be valuable. But they’re one of the most commonly misused tools in the security awareness toolkit. Before you send out another fake phishing email, let’s talk about when simulations help, when they harm, and what you should be measuring instead.

The Dark Side of Phishing Simulations

Creating Fear Instead of Learning

Most phishing simulation programs follow this playbook:

  1. Send convincing fake phishing emails to employees
  2. Shame those who click with immediate “gotcha” messages
  3. Force clickers through remedial training
  4. Repeat monthly, making emails increasingly deceptive

This approach treats security awareness like a game of gotcha rather than education. The result? Employees become afraid to click on anything, including legitimate business emails, links in company communications, and necessary software updates.

Eroding Trust and Engagement

When employees feel constantly tested and potentially tricked by their own security team, trust erodes. We’ve worked with organizations where employees:

  • Delete all emails with links, including critical business communications
  • Refuse to participate in legitimate security activities
  • View the security team as adversarial rather than supportive
  • Stop reporting suspicious emails for fear of being wrong

The Deception Paradox

Here’s the fundamental problem: we’re teaching employees to spot deception by… deceiving them. This creates cognitive dissonance. How can employees trust security communications when those same teams regularly send fake threats?

When Phishing Simulations Actually Work

Simulations aren’t inherently bad – they just need to be implemented thoughtfully. Successful programs share these characteristics:

Clear Educational Intent

Good simulations focus on teaching, not testing. They:

  • Use obviously educational scenarios rather than highly deceptive ones
  • Provide immediate, constructive feedback when someone clicks
  • Frame mistakes as learning opportunities, not failures
  • Include clear explanations of what to look for

Cultural Fit Assessment

Before implementing simulations, successful organizations assess:

  • Current security culture and trust levels
  • Employee attitudes toward security training
  • Existing stress levels and workload pressures
  • Communication norms and expectations

Integration with Broader Training

Simulations work best as one component of comprehensive security awareness, not as standalone programs. They should reinforce concepts taught in other training, not introduce new ones.

Better Ways to Measure Phishing Resilience

Real-World Threat Intelligence

Modern email security solutions provide something much more valuable than simulation metrics: real-world data on actual phishing attempts. These tools can show you:

  • Which employees interact with genuine phishing emails that were initially delivered
  • How quickly users report suspicious messages
  • Patterns in successful phishing attempts
  • Effectiveness of security controls in preventing delivery

This data reflects actual threats, not artificial ones, making it far more valuable for assessing and improving your security posture.

Behavioral Indicators

Instead of testing employees, observe natural behaviors:

  • Voluntary reporting rates: Are employees proactively reporting suspicious messages?
  • Security consultations: Do people reach out before clicking suspicious links?
  • Help desk tickets: What security-related questions are employees asking?
  • Incident patterns: Are human-error security incidents decreasing?

Positive Reinforcement Metrics

Focus on measuring desired behaviors rather than mistakes:

  • Recognition and reporting of legitimate phishing attempts
  • Appropriate escalation of security concerns
  • Peer-to-peer security education and awareness
  • Integration of security thinking into daily workflows

Implementing Simulation Programs Responsibly

If you decide simulations are right for your organization, follow these guidelines:

Start with Culture Assessment

Survey your organization to understand:

  • Current security awareness levels
  • Trust in leadership and security teams
  • Stress levels and change fatigue
  • Preferred learning styles and communication methods

Design for Learning, Not Gotchas

Educational simulations should:

  • Use moderate difficulty levels that teach without deceiving
  • Provide immediate, constructive feedback
  • Include clear learning objectives
  • Offer additional resources for deeper learning

Measure Culture Impact

Track the effects on organizational culture:

  • Employee trust levels in security communications
  • Participation rates in voluntary security activities
  • Quality and quantity of security-related questions and reports
  • Overall sentiment toward security initiatives

Create Psychological Safety

Ensure employees feel safe to:

  • Make mistakes and learn from them
  • Ask questions about suspicious activities
  • Report potential security incidents without fear of blame
  • Engage with security team members as allies, not adversaries

Alternatives to Traditional Simulations

Security Awareness Scenarios

Instead of fake phishing emails, use scenario-based discussions:

  • Present real-world case studies for team discussion
  • Run tabletop exercises exploring social engineering tactics
  • Share anonymized examples of recent threats relevant to your industry
  • Create interactive workshops on threat identification

Positive Security Challenges

Gamify security awareness in constructive ways:

  • Security tip sharing contests
  • Vulnerability reporting recognition programs
  • Cross-departmental security collaboration challenges
  • Innovation contests for security process improvements

Real-Time Coaching

Provide immediate support when employees need it:

  • Hover-text tips on email clients explaining link safety
  • Quick security consultations before clicking suspicious links
  • Peer security champion programs
  • Easy-access security hotlines for questions

Making the Right Choice for Your Organization

High-Trust, High-Engagement Organizations

If your organization has strong security culture and high employee engagement, carefully designed educational simulations might be appropriate. Focus on learning outcomes and cultural impact.

Low-Trust or High-Stress Environments

Organizations experiencing change, layoffs, or cultural challenges should avoid gotcha-style simulations. Focus on building trust through education and support before considering testing.

Regulatory Compliance Requirements

Some regulations require phishing simulations. In these cases, design minimal viable programs focused on compliance rather than maximum deception. Emphasize the regulatory requirement in communications.

The Path Forward

The goal of security awareness isn’t to catch employees making mistakes – it’s to build a workforce that thinks about security as part of their daily responsibilities. Sometimes that means using simulations thoughtfully. Often, it means finding better ways to measure and improve security behaviors.

Before implementing or continuing phishing simulations, ask yourself:

  • Are we building trust or eroding it?
  • Are we creating security-conscious thinking or fear-driven paralysis?
  • Are we measuring what matters most for our actual risk profile?
  • Would our employees describe security as helpful or adversarial?

What’s Next?

If you’re currently running phishing simulations, take a step back and assess their cultural impact. Survey your employees anonymously about their experience with security training and testing. You might be surprised by what you learn.

And if you’re looking to build a security awareness program that actually strengthens both your security posture and your organizational culture, let’s talk. We’ve helped organizations move beyond gotcha-style testing to build sustainable, effective security awareness that employees actually embrace.

Remember: the best security awareness program is one where employees want to participate in security, not one where they’re afraid not to.

Updated:

You may also enjoy