{"id":5262,"date":"2026-05-03T00:39:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-03T00:39:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/2026\/05\/03\/cyber-is-the-number-one-global-people-risk-says-marsh\/"},"modified":"2026-05-03T00:39:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-03T00:39:33","slug":"cyber-is-the-number-one-global-people-risk-says-marsh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ft365.org\/index.php\/2026\/05\/03\/cyber-is-the-number-one-global-people-risk-says-marsh\/","title":{"rendered":"Cyber is the Number One Global \u201cPeople Risk,\u201d Says Marsh"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cyber-related challenges dominate the top 10 people risks highlighted in a new global survey from Marsh.<\/p>\n

The insurance broker\u2019s 2026 People Risks<\/em> report is compiled from interviews with over 4500 HR and risk professionals in 26 global markets.<\/p>\n

Technological change and disruption was cited most frequently in the top 10 risks.<\/p>\n

\u201cCyber-threat literacy\u201d placed first while tech skills shortages, such as those in cyber and AI, came in at number three.<\/p>\n

\u201cMindset barriers to AI adoption\u201d came sixth. This includes limited knowledge of AI risks and mitigations, and workforce non-compliance with AI regulations and policy.<\/p>\n

Mishandling of data and IP was placed seventh.<\/p>\n

Read more on employee-related risk: Cost of Insider Incidents Surges 20% to Nearly $20m<\/em><\/p>\n

Marsh claimed that these factors could together expose organizations to an increased risk of cyber-attacks and breaches, reduce their competitiveness and ability to keep pace with the evolving threat landscape, and damage reputation and trust.<\/p>\n

The challenges of low security awareness among employees are well understood but continue to impact global organizations. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) was forced to release new guidance in January to help security teams mitigate insider risk.<\/p>\n

Ed Ventham, director of broking at UK cyber-insurance specialist Assured, argued that the focus on cyber-threat literacy, while valid, misses a bigger point.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe real issue isn\u2019t just whether people understand cyber risk, it\u2019s how things play out when something goes wrong,\u201d he told Infosecurity<\/em>. \u201cIncreasingly, the material impact isn\u2019t necessarily a traditional cyber-attack; it can be a failure in technology performance, systems not behaving as expected or platforms going down. All of these events drive business interruption, operational disruption and, ultimately, real economic loss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Business leaders should be more focused on mitigating the business impact of cyber-related incidents, he noted.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe risk isn\u2019t just incidents occurring,\u201d Ventham continued. \u201cIt\u2019s a lack of preparation for when they do, and a lack of understanding or forethought about how quickly they translate into lost revenue, contractual exposure, and balance sheet impact. That\u2019s where boards need to be focusing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why Managing People\u2011Shaped Risk is Becoming a Competitive Advantage<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Managing people-shaped risk effectively is essential to driving competitive advantage, the Marsh report argued.<\/p>\n

Some 40% of respondents who did so said they increased workforce productivity and efficiency, while 36% said they achieved faster progress on strategic initiatives such as AI adoption.<\/p>\n

Herv\u00e9 Balzano, president of health and benefits at Mercer,\u00a0said, “In 2026, resilience depends on how well organizations invest in their people: building the right skills, supporting health and financial security, and redesigning work so humans and technology can perform at their best together.\u201d<\/p>\n

To better manage the risks associated with human error, Marsh recommended:<\/p>\n