As a food processor, Neerlandia Urk must comply with strict regulations around digital security, including the European NIS2 directive. This regulation requires organizations to train their staff, and Neerlandia chose Guardey to fulfill that requirement.
Neerlandia Urk employs around 250 people, 30 of whom regularly work behind a computer. “We decided that anyone with a personal email account and computer access should participate in Guardey,” says Meindert Romkes, IT Manager at Neerlandia.
Challenge: Training employees without adding to the workload
The urgency of employee training is well understood at Neerlandia. “We’ve already experienced an incident where someone fell for a phishing email,” Romkes explains. A cybercriminal intercepted emails between a client and Neerlandia staff and managed to send a fake invoice. “Thankfully, other employees caught it — but it showed us just how badly it could have gone.”
At the same time, many employees are already under pressure due to high workloads, making it difficult to commit to multi-day training sessions. Neerlandia needed a way to train employees effectively, without adding extra stress. “That’s why Guardey’s approach appealed to us right away — staff can improve their skills in just a few minutes each week.”
The introduction of NIS2 was also a major driver behind the company’s decision to take action now. According to Romkes, apart from a single phishing simulation, not much had been done on security awareness before. “That has definitely changed thanks to the new regulations — and we’re glad it did.”
Solution: Bite-sized challenges that fit the workday
Neerlandia wanted a solution that would suit the busy schedules of its commercial staff. “We didn’t want employees to attend two- or three-day training sessions,” Romkes says. “They don’t retain that kind of information, and frankly, we can’t afford to miss them for that long.”
Instead, they preferred continuous training using short assignments. “We were looking for microlearnings, or even nanolearnings,” he explains. That approach fits the company much better — between all the calls and emails, there’s usually a few minutes available where training is feasible. Guardey enables weekly training through quick, targeted challenges.
“Our sales team is on the phone all day,” Romkes explains. “They also have to respond to inquiries immediately — that’s just part of the job. A lengthy training session simply isn’t an option.” But a quick task that takes just a few minutes? That’s doable.
Results: More alert and aware
The first results have been positive, says Romkes. “I can see that employees are getting better at spotting phishing attempts. They use the report phishing button more often and hesitate at the right moments.” That increased alertness is exactly what the training is designed to achieve.
A key step in the rollout was a phishing simulation. “Even when you think people won’t fall for it — they still enter sensitive information. Even people from finance and someone from management.” That confirmed the need for training.
Employee participation is strong: about 90% of the target group is actively engaged. Romkes expects that number to rise once Guardey’s mobile app is available this summer. “Especially for those who share a computer or work in shifts.”
He also notes that younger employees enjoy the gamification features. The leaderboard helps drive participation. “On the other hand,” he adds with a laugh, “a lot of people from Urk are a bit too down-to-earth for that.” Still, he sees potential: “We’re thinking of offering a prize for top performance in the next season. That could also motivate those who joined a bit later.”
What matters most, he says, is that Neerlandia Urk is actively working on cybersecurity and employee training. “It’s important for our organization and for NIS2 compliance. That’s why we’re mapping out who we share data with and ensuring internal security. Guardey plays a key role in that.” While the future of NIS2 and related regulations is still evolving, Romkes finds comfort in partnering with Guardey — helping employees become more alert, more aware, and better prepared for what’s to come.
Don’t let hackers outsmart you
Make sure your employees are prepared to recognize security threats with Guardey. Start your 14-day free trial today.
