NVD is a family-owned business, active in security for over 115 years. Their field of work is broad, covering everything from object security and alarm response to technology and hospitality. Safety is at the heart of what the company does, and today that also includes digital safety. “Cybersecurity is the issue of the day,” says Dennis van Loevezijn, Manager of Projects and ICT Services. “As a security company, we are regularly targeted—or rather, there are attempts. And we’re seeing it increase.”
Challenge: Keeping cybersecurity top of mind
The risks are significant, both because of the scale and the responsibilities of the clients NVD serves. “We have over 40,000 connections, clients with sensitive information, and our own control room.”
The company actively works on information security by complying with standards such as NIS2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and more. “These standards require you to focus on security awareness, among other things. Over the years, we organized various training activities: quizzes, card games, toolbox sessions. All great initiatives, but they were always stand-alone. The impact was limited.”
What NVD missed was a structural approach. “I was looking for a way to keep cybersecurity top of mind—not because it’s required, but because it’s fun. When it’s fun, employees naturally participate more actively.”
Solution: Continuous training with gamification
NVD explored several alternatives to find the solution that would best fit their needs. The choice for Guardey was a very deliberate one, says Dennis. “We reviewed several tools, but Guardey clearly stood out. Thanks to the gamification elements, learning becomes fun. And what’s fun, sticks.”
Guardey uses gamification very deliberately to motivate employees. Each week, participants receive a short, interactive challenge. By completing the challenges, they can earn points and improve their position on the leaderboard. At NVD, prizes are linked to departmental performance to create a motivating competition.
"The gaming element makes a big difference. It sparks competition. Security awareness no longer feels like an obligation, but something employees want to talk about."
“The game element really makes the difference,” says Dennis. “It sparks competition. Security awareness no longer feels like an obligation, but something employees themselves want to talk about.” As a result, cybersecurity becomes a regular topic of conversation, even outside the challenges, increasing overall security awareness.
NVD implemented Guardey in phases. “We started with a test group from various layers of the organization. Only afterward did we involve the management team. We wanted to ensure it wasn’t just imposed top-down but would actually be embraced.”
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Many employees were immediately enthusiastic. No surprise, according to Dennis. “It’s well-structured: you start as a ‘junior’, and the challenges gradually get harder. You need to make connections, think through scenarios. It works well, even for people without an IT background.”
"It's well-structured: you start as a junior, and the challenges gradually get harder. You need to make connections and think through scenarios. Guardey is super effective, even for people with an IT background."
Each department also appointed an ambassador, who has admin rights within Guardey and monitors progress. “Every two months, we meet to review the reports. Who’s falling behind? Which department is doing well?” These insights are not used to criticize individuals but to encourage departments. “You can still win, so catch up!” Additionally, the reports are used for ISO certification purposes, as they demonstrate that security awareness is actively managed—an important requirement.
Result: Engagement, awareness, and internal pride
The approach is paying off, says Dennis. Every three months, a prize is awarded to the best-performing department. “It can be anything: bowling together, having lunch, gaming. We make it a moment, feature it in our internal newsletter, and share photos. You hear departments say to each other: ‘Next time, we’ll win!’”
The company also notices a cultural shift: cybersecurity is discussed more openly, making it unnecessary to force the topic into conversations.
Finally, the training is having a tangible effect. “You can tell the knowledge level has risen. People proactively report suspicious emails. They’ll say: ‘I checked the email address, and it didn’t look right.’ In the past, they may have just clicked. Now, there’s greater alertness.”
"You can tell that the knowledge level has risen. People proactively report suspicious emails. In the past, they may have just clicked. Now, there's greater alertness."
NVD plans to add custom content to Guardey. This way, they can integrate their own password policies into the training. “It also allows us to include our customer environments better. We can train employees in situations that really match our daily work.”
With this approach, the company proves that security awareness can be fun rather than just an obligation. It’s about motivation and engagement, making Guardey and its gamification elements a perfect match for the challenges they face.
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