Vink Bouw is a construction company based in the Randstad region, with around 130 employees spread across ten construction sites and one main office. As ICT Coordinator, Remco Driessen manages everything from laptops and workplace infrastructure to IT security and external partnerships. “We handle many things internally, but for areas like firewalls we work with specialized partners,” he explains.
In a sector increasingly dependent on digital tools and mobile devices, cybersecurity has become a key concern. And while technology can help, Remco knew that the real challenge lay elsewhere.
The challenge: make security awareness part of daily work life
Before Guardey, Remco tried to raise awareness through regular reminder emails. “I used to send emails about cybersecurity. At first people would read them, but after a while the effect disappeared. They would think, there’s Remco again with his email, and move on.”
He realized that this approach no longer worked. “Nine out of ten attacks happen because of human error. You can keep sending reminders, but at some point the message loses its impact.”
“Nine out of ten attacks happen because of human error. You can keep sending reminders, but at some point the message loses its impact.”
Vink Bouw needed a way to make awareness part of daily work life, without it feeling like another IT task. “We wanted to create awareness about the dangers that exist online. Not just at work, but also in employees’ private lives. That’s something everyone can relate to.”
The solution: short, accessible training
When Remco discovered Guardey, it immediately stood out as something different. Guardey offers short, gamified security awareness training that employees complete every week. Each session takes just a few minutes and uses practical, real-life examples instead of long e-learning modules.
“We started looking at what was available on the market to approach awareness differently. Guardey was actually the first platform I came across,” says Remco. “It teaches employees how to recognize digital risks, like phishing or weak passwords, in a simple and playful way.”
Vink Bouw had previously tried a similar gamified platform, but for a completely different topic: sustainability in construction. “It was a comparable setup, only focused on creating awareness around sustainable materials,” he recalls. “But it didn’t catch on. Only a few people stayed engaged, because you really needed to spend an hour or two to finish an assignment. With Guardey, it was the opposite, because the weekly challenges are short.”
“The mobile app is great. When I’m at home on the couch, I just open the Guardey app for a few questions. The low threshold really makes a difference.”
Accessibility turned out to be one of the biggest success factors. “The app is great. When I’m at home on the couch, I just open the Guardey app for a few questions. The low threshold really makes a difference. The app works perfectly for me.”
For Driessen, the main goal was clear: “We wanted to raise awareness of online risks in a playful way, not through monotonous reminders. Guardey makes that possible.”
The result: Security awareness has become a part of company culture
The impact became visible quickly. “I notice that more employees ask questions like, ‘Can I click this link or not?’ Recently, someone said, ‘This looks really fake, right?’ but that person had never logged into Guardey. I told them, if you’d done Guardey, you would have known.”
Participation has been strong from the start. “About 80% joined in right away. That’s leveled off a bit now, but the overall feedback has been very positive.”
What stood out most was the shift in company culture. “You hear people talking about the training questions in the canteen, saying things like ‘Did you know that…’ and that’s exactly what you want to see,” Driessen explains. “It’s become something we discuss in the hallways, and that was our goal all along.”
“You hear people talking about the training questions in the canteen, saying things like ‘Did you know that...’ and that’s exactly what you want to see.”
Guardey has helped Vink Bouw build lasting awareness around cybersecurity, both professionally and personally. “We’ve created awareness in a playful way, about dangers that can have a big impact on the organization, but also at home.”
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